The NHL’s player safety department handed down one-game suspensions to Calgary Flames forward John Beecher and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley for separate roughing incidents. Beecher landed a punch on Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron while he was being held back by two linesmen during a game on Saturday. The altercation occurred after McCarron had initiated a scrum near the Flames’ bench by dropping his gloves and starting to swing at Beecher. Beecher, aged 24, was penalized with a roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct before leaving the game due to an injury sustained during a fight with Nashville’s Nic Hague in the second period.
In a separate incident, Stanley threw an ungloved punch at Ottawa Senators’ Brady Tkachuk, who was caught off guard, resulting in a roughing minor and an illegal equipment minor for Stanley. Tkachuk, reacting angrily to the blow, received a 10-minute misconduct penalty. Both Beecher and Stanley, with 155 and 242 NHL games played respectively, had not faced suspensions or fines in their careers prior to these incidents.