NHL DoPS hands multi-game suspension to Panthers forward Sam Bennett (w/ video explanation)
The National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced it's first suspension of 2022 on Sunday evening. They've handed Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett a three game suspension for checking to the head on Montreal Canadiens forward Cedric Paquette.
The incident occurred early in the first period of Saturday afternoon's game between Montreal and Florida. Paquette was looking for the puck in front of his net, likely to clear it out of his own zone. That's when Bennett comes and hits him right in the head.
Paquette would go to the locker room, returned for the start of the second period before departing the game for good. For his part, Sam Bennett did not receive a penalty on the play.
This isn't the first time Bennett has been suspended either. Back in game one of their first round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he was suspended one game for hitting Blake Coleman from behind.
Bennett, 25, will be eligible to return to the Panthers lineup on Tuesday, January 11th when they host the Vancouver Canucks.
Florida's Sam Bennett has been suspended for three games for an Illegal Check to the Head on Montreal's Cedric Paquette. https://t.co/Hj57ZYySFZ— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 3, 2022
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mikko Rantanen | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Jake Debrusk | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Connor McDavid | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Jack Eichel | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brock Nelson | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Anthony Cirelli | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Jonathan Drouin | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Roman Josi | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Kirill Marchenko | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Kyle Palmieri | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Artemi Panarin | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Evan Bouchard | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Rasmus Dahlin | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Leon Draisaitl | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Matt Duchene | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 21 | 17 | 4 | - | 34 | |
Wild | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 30 | |
Devils | 23 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 30 | |
Hurricanes | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 29 | |
Golden Knights | 21 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 20 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 27 | |
Flames | 21 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 27 | |
Stars | 19 | 13 | 6 | - | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 19 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||