The NHL’s player safety department handed down one-game suspensions to Calgary Flames forward John Beecher and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley on Sunday for separate roughing incidents.
Beecher unexpectedly punched Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron while being held by two linesmen during the first period of the Flames’ 4-3 defeat on Saturday. The altercation occurred after McCarron initiated a scuffle near the Flames’ bench by dropping his gloves and throwing punches at Beecher.
During the same game, Beecher, aged 24, was penalized with a roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct. He later exited the game due to an injury sustained while fighting Nashville’s Nic Hague in the second period.
In a separate incident, 27-year-old Stanley threw a bare-knuckle punch at Brady Tkachuk’s face during the Jets’ 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. The punch, which caught Tkachuk off guard, led to Stanley receiving a roughing minor and an illegal equipment minor. Tkachuk, visibly upset by the blow, was handed a 10-minute misconduct penalty.
Both Beecher and Stanley, with 155 and 242 NHL games played respectively, had not faced any suspensions or fines prior to these incidents.