Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley and Calgary Flames left winger John Beecher have been assessed one-game suspensions for roughing incidents that took place in separate games on Saturday.
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley and Calgary Flames left winger John Beecher have been slapped with supplementary discipline for roughing in their respective games on Saturday.
Beecher was issued a one-game suspension by the NHL's Department of Player Safety for punching Nashville Predators right winger, Michael McCarron.
At this point in the altercation, a referee was between Beecher and McCarron, with the Predators enforcer having his arms restrained by his sides.
It started with McCarron engaging in conversation with Calgary's bench, before a few Flames players on the ice approached him. McCarron threw a few punches at Beecher, but officials quickly intervened.
"After the altercations have died down, and with McCarron restrained and unsuspecting, Beecher winds up and throws a hard, bare-handed punch over the top of the linesman, hitting the unsuspecting McCarron in the face with force. This is roughing," the Department of Player Safety explained in a video.
"No matter what preceded this punch, Beecher's actions are neither permitted nor excusable," they added.
Beecher received a minor penalty for roughing and a 10-minute game misconduct on the play.
It was noted that Beecher has no history with the Department of Player Safety, as he hasn't been fined or suspended by the NHL previously over the course of his 155-game NHL career.
The 24-year-old will miss Calgary's next game on Monday against the Seattle Kraken. However, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Beecher was injured in a fight with defenseman Nicolas Hague later in the outing. Therefore, the Flames left winger may miss more than one game.
As for Winnipeg's Stanley, his situation is quite similar to Beecher's.
Stanley has also been handed a one-game suspension for his actions that were labelled as roughing against Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
In this incident, Tkachuk contests Stanley's breakout pass through the neutral zone and finishes his check on the Jets defenseman.
Following contact along the Senators' bench, Stanley and Tkachuk get tangled up, which results in Stanley dropping his gloves and punching Tkachuk in the face. Throughout the altercation, Ottawa's captain shows no interest in fighting Stanley and has his eyes on the play continuing up the ice.
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"At no point in this altercation does Tkachuk show any interest in participating in a fight," DPOS said in its explainer video.
"Tkachuk's gloves remain on his hands, and he gives no indication that he is willing or suspecting combatant as he continues to monitor the play down ice, rather than focusing directly on Stanley."
As a result, Stanley was handed a double-minor penalty for roughing and Tkachuk received a 10-minute misconduct.
Stanley, 27, will not be eligible to suit up for Winnipeg's next game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
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