NEW YORK — Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog has been suspended two games by the NHL for boarding, the league's Department of Player Safety announced on Thursday afternoon.
The hit occurred late in the third period of the Avalanche's season opening win against the Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Landeskog checked Blackhawks' forward Kirby Dach hard into the boards while Dach was on one knee.
Landeskog received a minor penalty for the hit, but the league deemed it more serious than that with the suspension. The Avalanche captain will forfeit $70,000 in salary for the two games missed. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Colorado won the opener against Chicago 4-2 and will host St. Louis on Saturday in the first game Landeskog will miss. He'll also sit out a contest next Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.
The Avs were without head coach Jared Bednar and All-Star Nathan MacKinnon in their first game due to COVID-19 protocols. Their status for Saturday's game is unclear.
>> Video above: Avalanche begin quest for third Stanley Cup in team history and first in more than 20 years
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