Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has been suspended two games for his cross-check on Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in Tuesday’s Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.
The Department of Player Safety made the call after a hearing with Benn.
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Benn got a game misconduct for his cross-check less than two minutes into a game that the Golden Knights won 4-0 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
After the two captains collided near the blue line and Stone fell to the ice, Benn lunged forward with both hands on his stick and made contact near Stone’s neck as he was sliding over the centre line.
“Let’s put it this way. He made a mistake. He feels really badly about it. I don’t think anyone in the building feels worse than he does about it,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said.
Benn said Wednesday he wished he hadn’t used his stick as “a landing point” during the hit.
“Just heat of the moment. … I need to be more responsible with my body and my stick,” Benn said. “My first shift of a game on home ice when you’re pretty jacked up and down 1-0, so you want to try to get your team going. Emotions are high and, you know, it was just an unfortunate play.”
Benn has three goals and eight assists in 16 playoff games after putting up 33 goals and 45 assists for 78 points in 82 regular-season games.
Watch Game 4 of the series on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet or Sportsnet NOW.
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