Times have been tough lately for the Chicago Blackhawks, and it looks like the ride might be even bumpier for the next few blocks.
On a night where they were already playing without Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith was given a match penalty for a high-stick on Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle, with an “intent to injure” label.
It drew blood on the play, and depending upon how the NHL’s Department of Player Safety interprets things, could mean that Keith will have to sit out the Blackhawks’ next game as well.
Keith officially gets the match penalty for "intent to injure."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 30, 2016
The match penalty carries a one-game suspension, assuming the NHL doesn't rescind it. So figure Keith out for Winnipeg, too. #Blackhawks
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 30, 2016
Here’s video of the incident:
Also, Stephane “My Regular Face” comes through with the GIF:
And here’s the blood:
Keith has some history with supplemental discipline (though technically not a repeat offender), so it could be interesting to see how this shakes out (as the league has a tendency to rescind penalties that might bring about additional suspensions ... yet not always).
Marian Hossa scored the 499th goal of his career shorthanded shortly after that happened, as if to argue that the Blackhawks might meet this challenge head-on.
Actually, some believe he might get more than a single game tacked on:
There's no way Duncan Keith doesn't get a suspension for that. No way. More than one game. #Blackhawks
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 30, 2016
https://t.co/0WC0TjUjZI
Update: Just a note that Keith is considered “suspended indefinitely,” even if that might just be a matter of semantics.
All match penalties are suspended pending review by @NHLPlayerSafety before the team next plays https://t.co/sAReiw2WNE
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 30, 2016