The NHL's Department of Player Safety often fines players when, most of the time, they deserve to be suspended. That especially seems to be the case whenever a star player is the aggressor in an incident.
This time, they got it right.
It was announced on Monday by the NHL's Department of Player Safety it has suspended Toronto Maple Leafs superstar center Auston Matthews for two games for his predatory cross-check to the neck of Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
The incident took place in the third period of the Sabres' 5-2 win over the Maple Leafs in the 2022 Heritage Classic in Hamilton, Ontario. After Matthews and Dahlin battled in front of the Buffalo net, the NHL's leading goal scorer retaliated by delivering the dangerous cross-check.
This is the first time Matthews has been suspended in his career, which may have factored into the suspension only being for two games.
Dahlin was not injured on the play and remained in the game.
