Montreal Canadiens’ Michael Pezzetta suspended two games

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Monday afternoon that it suspended Montreal Canadiens winger Michael Pezzetta two games for an illegal check to the head on Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie.

The incident occurred late in the third period of Saturday night’s game against the Capitals. Oshie had made a play on a loose puck to make a breakout pass, and Pezzetta made a hit to Oshie’s head with no contact elsewhere, making it a clear illegal check to the head. Pezzetta has no prior history of being fined or suspended, but the contact with the head is what made the suspension two games.

The 24-year-old is in the middle of his rookie season with the Canadiens, with five goals and eight points in 47 games. He was originally drafted by the Canadiens in 2016 in the sixth round, and after three years in the AHL he started to get into the Canadiens lineup this season.

While losing players is never a good thing for a team, it’s not much of a blow for the Canadiens at this point of the season, who find themselves well out of a playoff spot after a miraculous run to the Stanley Cup final in 2021. They sit last in the Eastern Conference with a 20-45-11 record and a strong chance at a top pick in this year’s NHL draft.