Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Matt Niskanen will be suspended for his team’s game on Friday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Philadelphia’s Matt Niskanen has been suspended for one playoff game for Cross-checking Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher. https://t.co/x8zPyvNmGX
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) August 21, 2020
The defenceman had a hearing on Thursday after his cross check of Brendan Gallagher late in Wednesday night’s Game 5, which the Canadiens won 5-3. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Montreal will be considered the home team.
The 33-year-old defenceman played 68 games for the Flyers in the regular season, scoring eight goals and adding 25 assists. He has no points in eight post-season games since the NHL’s Return to Play started. He ranks second among Flyers defenders in ice time behind his partner Ivan Provorov.
Niskanen has never been suspended, but has some history with NHL Player Safety. He was given a major penalty and game misconduct during the 2017 Playoffs, but was not suspended for a similar cross check of Sidney Crosby.
crosby injury pic.twitter.com/dXcWa8YlBd
— steph (@myregularface) May 1, 2017
He was also fined for a slash of Gustav Nyqvist in February of this year after a game between the Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gallagher will need to undergo surgery for his broken jaw, and will miss the remainder of the series.
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