Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen has a disciplinary hearing Thursday afternoon with the NHL Department of Player Safety for a hit on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel.
Ristolainen was issued a major penalty and game misconduct for interference at 8:46 of the first period of Tuesday’s game, the result of administering a huge hit on Guentzel. Ristolainen crushed an unsuspecting Guentzel with his backside just outside of the blueline before the Penguin received a pass from linemate Sidney Crosby.
The team said Guentzel, who was left bloodied and didn’t return to Penguins’ 3-1 win, has been diagnosed with a concussion.
Guentzel has been on the receiving end of another check that warranted a suspension earlier this season.
Philadelphia’s Brandon Manning was banned two games for hit on Guentzel in the Feb. 25 outdoor game. On that play, Guentzel did touch the puck for a brief moment and Manning hit him well after it left his stick.
The Penguins are in Ottawa to play the Senators on Thursday.
The Sabres’ next game is Saturday against a Toronto Maple Leafs team jockeying for playoff positioning. The Sabres defence is already depleted. Dmitry Kulikov, Cody Franson, Justin Falk and Taylor Fedun were all scratched against Pittsburgh due to injury.
With Ristolainen banished from the game, Zach Bogosian was forced to play a career high 33:29.
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