For the second time this season, Matthew Tkachuk received a one-game suspension for a stick incident near the Calgary Flames bench.
On Wednesday night, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matt Martin finished a clean hit on Flames forward Troy Brouwer, knocking him to the ice near the Calgary bench and causing a brief scrum. Tkachuk, a Flames forward standing at the bench, reached over the boards and into the pile of bodies and thrust his stick at Martin.
There was no penalty on the play, but the NHL Department of Player Safety issued a one-game suspension for Tkachuk's actions.
Calgary's Matthew Tkachuk suspended one game for unsportsmanlike conduct for his actions during last night's game against Toronto. https://t.co/XzTPxztSJb
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 7, 2017
Because Tkachuk was on the bench he was treated more harshly. He was also suspended one game on Nov. 18 for spearing Detroit Red Wings defenseman Luke Witkowski as he left the ice after being ejected. That stick work led to a melee at the benches.
Previously, Tkachuk was suspended two games in March for elbowing Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty.
Tkachuk is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and, based on his average annual salary, will forfeit $11,280.49.
He'll miss the Flames' game in Montreal on Thursday night.
