Nick Ritchie will miss Anaheim’s first playoff game after he was suspended two games for punching Chicago’s Michal Rozsival in the face Thursday.
The Ducks only have one regular-season game left, Sunday against Los Angeles, so Ritchie’s punishment will carry over into the postseason.
In making the ruling, the league noted that Rozsival gave no indication that he was a willing combatant in a potential fight, yet Ritchie delivered a “forceful, bare-knuckle punch” anyway, injuring the veteran defenseman.
You can watch the full explanation below: