Flyers rookie suspended for late hit against Jet

Philadelphia Flyers rookie forward Joel Farabee was suspended Monday for three games without pay after his interference penalty Sunday against Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault, the NHL’s department of player safety announced.

Farabee, who levelled Perreault at 9:03 of the second period with a late hit long after the puck was gone, received a five-minute major penalty for interference and also was assessed a game misconduct.

“Players not in possession of the puck are never eligible to be checked,” the NHL said. “However, the interference rule provides a brief window where a player who initiates a check while his opponent is in possession of the puck may finish the hit. This is not such a play.”

Perreault sustained an upper-body injury and did not return to the game, which the Jets won 7-3.

“That’s the most dangerous play in hockey,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said after the game. “Even a hit from behind a player has a sense that it’s coming. And that’s why that five-minute interference came in. Because it can be devastating. The referees certainly got it right on the ice.”

Perreault did not practise Monday, as he was being assessed for concussion-like symptoms.

Farabee, who has three goals and eight assists in 27 games this season, will forfeit US$14,919 to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that Marc Crawford will return to the club as an assistant Jan. 2 after they concluded their investigation into allegations of misconduct in previous coaching positions.

Since Dec. 2, Crawford has been away from the team after former NHL players Sean Avery and Patrick O’Sullivan made allegations about Crawford.