TORONTO - Mikhail Grabovski of the Toronto Maple Leafs has received an automatic three-game suspension for shoving an official.
The incident occurred during Thursday's game in Montreal, when the Maple Leafs winger pushed linesman Scott Cherrey at the end of a melee in the third period.
Grabovski and Habs forward Sergei Kostitsyn were trying to get at one another when the incident occurred, putting the Leafs player in violation of rule 41.4 - category III.
The rule states: "Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall be suspended for not less than three games."
Grabovski's suspension starts immediately. He'll be eligible to return on Jan. 16 in Atlanta.