Gabe Vilardi Postgame Winnipeg Jets defenceman Brenden Dillon is facing a suspension up to five games in length following his check on Pittsburgh's Noel Acciari on Tuesday night. Catching Acciari directly in the head, Dillon was assessed a five-minute major match penalty and booted from the game. The Penguins scored twice on the ensuing power play, to which Dillon watched from the dressing room. Acciari needed assistance off the ice and did not return to the game. His head coach Mike Sullivan provided a slight update following the game. “Obviously, our major concern is Noel. He’s doing OK, but he’s being evaluated right now," Sullivan said. “We’ll allow the league to go through their process, like they always do,” he said. “We can all have opinions on it, but at the end of the day, our opinions don’t really matter. Our major concern is Noel and his health, and he seems to be doing okay.” On Wednesday, news came that Dillon's suspension hearing would be held via telephone, meaning he can only receive a maximum five-game ban for his actions. He was suspended once before in 2017, and will not be considered a repeat offender. The Penguins travel to Winnipeg for a test with the Jets in Manitoba on Saturday. Should Dillon be suspended for just one game, he will be back in action. If he is given a two-plus game ban, he will have to watch from the press box.
