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Lightning’s Cernak suspended 2 games for elbowing Rasmus Dahlin

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A busy week for the NHL’s Department of Player Safety continued on Tuesday when they announced a two-game suspension for Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak.

Late in the second period of Tampa Bay’s 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night, Cernak caught Rasmus Dahlin with an elbow to the head that left the young defender with a concussion.

There was no penalty called on the play.

Here is a look at the play, as well as the NHL’s explanation of the suspension.

The most surprising thing in that video is the note from the DoPS that the Lightning tried to argue that Dahlin’s glove is what drove Cernak’s elbow into his face. The DoPS clearly disagreed with that assessment.

This is the first time Cernak has been fined or suspended by the league. He will lose $7,500 as a result of the suspension and miss games against the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals. He will be eligible to return to the Lightning lineup on Nov. 30 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Cernak has appeared in 20 games this season for the Lightning, scoring one goal.

There is no word on when Dahlin, the league’s reigning rookie of the year, will be returning to the Sabres’ lineup.

Already this week the DoPS has suspended Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alexander Kerfoot two games for boarding and Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo four games for cross-checking.

Related: Sabres’ Dahlin injured

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.