In a twist of unfortunate events, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has found himself in the same situation as his former teammate, Connor Clifton, who received a suspension for an illegal check to the head just days ago.
On Tuesday evening, the NHL delivered the verdict: McAvoy will serve a four-game suspension for his illegal check to the head and interference involving Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
The incident unfolded during the third period of Boston's thrilling 3-2 overtime victory on Monday night. McAvoy made a deep offensive push into Florida's zone, delivering a blindside hit to Ekman-Larsson after the defenseman tried to handle a bouncing puck.
McAvoy's actions led to a five-minute match penalty and drew the attention of the NHL Department of Player Safety (DOPS) for two critical reasons: the primary point of impact was Ekman-Larsson's head, and the hit was deemed late enough to qualify as interference.
This is not McAvoy's first suspension; he received one in 2019 for an illegal check to the head. While he isn't technically a repeat offender within the 18-month window, his previous infraction for a similar offense will likely be taken into account. Ekman-Larsson is currently undergoing evaluations for a potential head injury.
