Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno was ejected from Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche for a nasty elbow to the head of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.
That play will result in him missing a few more games.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Monday afternoon that Foligno has been suspended three games for elbowing.
Bellemare was diagnosed with a concussion is going to remain out of the Avalanche for the time being.
Here is a look at the play, as well as the NHL’s explanation for the suspension.
The league notes that this hit can not be classified as excusable or accidental contact where Foligno raises his arm as a reflex to brace for sudden contact or to attempt to avoid a collision. Instead, it is Foligno that is in control of the play and initiates the contact, meaning the onus is on him to deliver a clean body check. He obviously did not do that and instead extended his elbow forcefully into Bellemare’s jaw.
Foligno said after the game he did not know he hit Bellemare in the head and was sick to his stomach when he realized he did.
Prior to this suspension Foligno had only been fined one time in his NHL career and never suspended, but the fact that Bellemare was injured on the play almost certainly added some games to Foligno’s punishment.
In 17 games this season he has one goal and six assists for the Blue Jackets.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.