The NHL suspends Detroit Red Wing captain 1 game for roughing and will pay up a fine of $30,500.
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has been suspended by the NHL for a game for roughing Tampa Bay forward Mathieu Joseph.
The league announced Friday adding that Larkin will pay a fine of $30,500 that will go toward the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
It is not certain that Larkin will miss Detroit’s home game Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
The NHL said Larkin was suspended for retaliating to Joseph’s hit from behind with a punch in the face when the opponent was not suspecting it.
“He’s coming off … and then gets hit into the boards, so you can understand why he’s upset,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said after losing to the Lightning 7-6 in overtime Thursday night.
Larkin was limited to 44 games last season after Dallas’ Jamie Benn cross-checked him in the neck.
After the game, Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper and Lightning players said they were confused that the officials did not immediately call a penalty on Joseph and Detroit ended up with a power play after the melee.
“Obviously, he’s mad about, you know, the borderline hit there, but there’s different ways to go about it,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “You can grab a guy and then punch him in the face. But it’s just an unsuspecting guy, it’s a sucker punch.”
