Jets’ Logan Stanley, Flames’ John Beecher to have hearings with NHL
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley has a hearing Sunday with the NHL's Department of Player Safety for roughing Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk on Saturday night.
Stanley was penalized for roughing and removing an opponent's helmet after getting entangled with Tkachuk and throwing the bare-fisted punch in the second period of the visiting Jets' 4-2 defeat.
The league has the option to suspend or fine Stanley, a six-year veteran with no suspension history.
Tkachuk did not drop his gloves or receive a minor penalty, though he was assessed a 10-minute misconduct. Ottawa's Drake Batherson scored the eventual winning goal in the final seconds of Stanley's double minor.
Tkachuk assisted the Senators' first goal Saturday. Stanley finished with a minus-2 rating in 12:33 of ice time.
"I will probably choose my words wisely," Senators coach Travis Green said postgame. "If the refs had to do it again and call it again, they'd probably make a different call. You never like to see a guy get suckered in the face."
The league scheduled another hearing Sunday with Flames forward John Beecher, who sucker-punched Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron in the first period of Calgary's 4-3 home loss.
Beecher took a roughing minor Saturday for tagging McCarron as the linesmen separated them during a larger altercation involving every skater on the ice. Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague later fought Beecher, who appeared to hurt his left arm and did not return to the game.
Beecher, 24, was limited to 3:06 of ice time. McCarron helped set up Hague's winning goal with 29 seconds left in regulation.
The Flames claimed Beecher off waivers from the Boston Bruins in November. He has never been suspended.