Avs’ Johnson gets 2-game suspension

pended two games team rules.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Nelson played well enough in relief to earn the starting role for good.

“At first, I was kind of surprised but I looked at the situation and took it head on,” Nelson said. “I just started grinding with my teammates.”

Nelson, who grew up in Hollywood, has completed 61-of-125 passes for 909 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. If anything, his quick adjustment has justified Akron coach Terry Bowden’s commitment to recruiting in South Florida.

While Bowden knows his base is in Ohio, he is aware of the talent in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

“We come from for violating one of Lane Kiffin, FAU coach on Kato Nelson the finest areas in northeast Ohio in recruiting,” Bowden said. “I call that the meat and potatoes. You have fullbacks, linebackers, tight ends, big, physical guys that play that middle part of the team. But we’re looking for edge players, speed, excitement type players. … So we come down here and try to recruit this area as much as we can.”

For Nelson, it will almost feel like when he played here in high school. He is expecting at least 50 family members and friends to be in attendance at FAU Stadium.

The Owls, who are playing in their first bowl game since 2008, have spent much of the week preparing for Nelson.

“He moves around and makes throws,” FAU coach Lane Kiffin said. “It really seems like for a young guy he’s really commanding the offense. He knows their stuff real well. He’s gotten a lot better. … He’s playing really well down the stretch.”

srichardson@ sun-sentinel.com; On Twitter @shandelrich Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was suspended for two games without pay by the league Sunday for boarding Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov.

Johnson was assessed a minor penalty for slashing and a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding in the second period of the Avalanche’s 6-5 home loss Saturday. The suspension will cost Johnson $64,516. Patrick Kane scored two goals and Corey Crawford stopped 27 shots to lead the Blackhawks to their fifth straight win, a 4-1 decision over the Wild in Chicago. Kane is one away from 300 career goals. The Hawks had 22 shots on goal in the second period and 46 for the game . ... Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots to earn his eighth career shutout, Patrik Laine got his team-high 16th goal.