Matt Stienburg of the Colorado Avalanche has been suspended for two games following a dangerous hit on Erik Cernak during a recent match against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The NHL's Department of Player Safety deemed the hit unnecessary, resulting in a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for Stienburg.
The rookie, who has yet to score in his first eight NHL games, will miss upcoming games against the Nashville Predators and Seattle Kraken. Stienburg's aggressive play has led to significant penalty minutes early in his career.