Bowen Byram suspended one game at IIHF World Championship for slashing Jesse Puljujarvi

A top defenseman is going to miss a game due to his actions.

On Sunday, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced Team Canada defenseman Bowen Byram had been suspended one game for slashing Finland’s Jesse Puljujarvi.

The incident happened in the second period of the Group A matchup on Saturday when Byram and Puljujarvi were battling in front of the Canadian goal. Byram visibly took his stick and hit Puljujarvi between the legs, which started a brief skirmish in which Puljujarvi took exception to the act.

Byram was handed a five-minute major for slashing, and a game misconduct. Puljujarvi was given a two-minute minor for roughing in retaliation to the play.

Per the release from the IIHF. Byram violated Rule 61, pertaining to slashing. The Disciplinary Panel ruled that the “level of force used by [Byram] while not looking in the direction of where he was swinging his stick, heightens the level of recklessness displayed by [Byram].”

Byram will be forced to sit out Canada’s matchup on Sunday with Switzerland. The Canadians are currently tied for second in Group A with the Switss, both teams undefeated through five games with four regulation wins and an overtime victory.

The Buffalo Sabres blueliner has been having a solid tournament for Canada. In his first tour of international duty with the senior national team, the Buffalo Sabres blueliner has scored a goal and four points through five games, and a plus/minus of +5.

Byram has been handed supplementary discipline before. In late March, he was fined $5,000 for interference with Ottawa Senators forward Angus Crookshank.

The 22-year-old came to the world championship after a respectable NHL season, which saw him change homes for the first time. The Colorado Avalanche traded the Cranbrook, British Columbia native to the Sabres for Casey Mittelstadt. Byram scored a career-high 29 points in 73 games during the 2023-24 campaign.