NEW YORK — New Jersey Devils forward Paul Cotter has been suspended for his team’s final two games of the regular season for his illegal check to the head that injured New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the suspension Monday after a disciplinary hearing with him. Cotter, who had no prior history of supplemental discipline, will forfeit $8,073 in salary but not miss any of the first round of the playoffs.
After officials looked at the play on video review, they assessed a match penalty, ejecting Cotter and giving New York a five-minute power play.
Cotter, a third liner who is in his first season with the Devils, was the focus of the Islanders postgame media availabilities. Islanders coach Patrick Roy, who had no update on Pelech, told reporters “that’s the kind of hit we don’t like to see.”
Cotter and the Devils are headed to the postseason and will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1. The 25-year-old center has 16 goals and 22 points this season.
Pelech, who was bloodied and angry after the left shoulder-to-head hit by Cotter six minutes into the second period of the teams’ game Sunday, was quickly ruled out of the game, which his club won, 1-0. The Islanders will not be headed to the postseason, as they were eliminated from contention on Saturday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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