[UPDATE: Paquette has been suspended two games.]
Cedric Paquette of the Canadiens will have a Monday hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety after his boarding penalty on Ducks rookie Trevor Zegras.
Paquette drilled Zegras from behind in the corner midway through the first period of Anaheim’s 4-2 win on Sunday. The Canadiens forward was given a major for boarding a game misconduct (plus a roughing minor after the post-hit scrum). Zegras would stay in the dressing room but return for the start of the second period.
We’ll see how the DoPS reacts to the hit, and if he’s suspended Paquette won’t be the only Canadiens forward missing from their lineup. The team announced over the weekend that Mathieu Perreault underwent surgery to correct an eye condition. It’s expected he’ll miss 2-3 weeks.
According to the Canadiens, Perreault had begun experienced double vision and it was discovered that he had a detached retina. The injury was not the result of a play on the ice Saturday against the Kings, but rather an issue that developed over time.
After a 1-3-0 west coast road trip, Montreal returns home Tuesday for a five-game homestead. They are currently 2-8-0 and at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.