Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw has been suspended for three games in a Game 2 hit on Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith.
"The contact Shaw makes with Smith is not incidental," said NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan.
In Game 2, Shaw laid a brutal hit on Smith, while the goaltender was chasing a puck behind the net. Smith was on the ice for several minutes before getting up and finished the game.
The Blackhawks won the game in overtime, which tied the series at 1 game a piece. The suspension means that Shaw would be available earliest in Game 6 of the series.
The hit and suspension comes on the heels of other brutal hits in NHL playoff games. Of note, Nashville's Shea Weber put into Detroits Henrik Zetterberg's head into the boards. The NHL received media and fan criticism for not suspending Weber in the instance.
