Pavel Buchnevich has been suspended for one game for high-sticking Capitals forward Anthony Mantha, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.
Buchnevich, during a physical game with Washington that featured six fights in the first five minutes of play, left his skates and hit Mantha in the face with his stick, leading to a major penalty and a game misconduct. He had a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Thursday.
The suspension comes after Tom Wilson was fined, not suspended, for hitting Buchnevich in the back of the head while Buchnevich was down on the ice during the Capitals 6-3 win over New York on Monday night. The ruling of a fine and no discipline for Wilson’s dangerous takedown of Artemi Panarin angered the Rangers, who released a statement calling for Wilson to be suspended indefinitely while questioning NHL Department of Player Safety head George Parros’ ability to perform his job duties.
The team was fined $250 thousand on Thursday for that statement.
New York took matters into its own hands in regards to Wilson on Wednesday night, sparking three simultaneous fights at the opening faceoff before Brendan Smith went at it with Wilson shortly after, right when Wilson took the ice for the first time.
The Rangers have just two games left in the season, both against the Bruins, and are out of playoff contention.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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