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Nino Niederreiter to have hearing with Department of Player Safety for slashing Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

By Chris Cerullo

 2 Comments

March 19, 2022 10:56 am

Update: Niederreiter has been suspended one game by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter will have a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for using his stick dangerously at the Capitals bench. Players that have hearings with DoPS can be fined or suspended for up to four games.

The play in question occurred during the first period of the Capitals’ 4-3 shootout win against the Hurricanes.

Niederreiter got sent halfway into the Capitals bench by a big check from Tom Wilson. While trying to exit the bench, his helmet came off and his stick appeared to get stuck in Garnet Hathaway’s jersey. In retaliation for either his helmet coming off, his stick being “held”, or both, he wildly swung his stick and caught Jonsson-Fjallby in the side of the head.

Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette was left incensed on the bench as play stopped moments after.

The Capitals bench received an unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty and Niederreiter was handed a slashing minor penalty on the play.

“The following grounds are being considered for supplemental discipline: slashing,” DoPS writes on NHL.com. “However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to the infraction upon review.”

The Swiss forward has no prior record of supplemental discipline during his 11-year NHL career. In the same game, he would also go on to miss a wide-open empty-net chance as goaltender Ilya Samsonov went on a journey behind the net.

Screenshot via Bally Sports South

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