NHL STICKS IT TO SABRES FORWARD
The NHL suspended Buffalo Sabres forward Johan Larsson two games for cross checking Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck in the face. The league’s department of player safety issued the ruling after conducting a hearing on Friday, a day after Buffalo’s 4-2 loss to the Panthers. Larsson was already facing a one-game suspension after being issued a 10-minute match penalty and five-minute cross checking major for his hit to Trocheck with 35 seconds left in the game. The hit occurred after Trocheck and Sabres defenceman Jake McCabe got in a skirmish at the Panthers blue-line. Larsson skated toward Trocheck and cross-checked him. Following the game, Larsson said he merely “pushed him a little bit and the ref came and grabbed me.” Larsson will lose close to US$15,900 in salary and miss games against St. Louis on Saturday and Anaheim on Tuesday.