Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was suspended for Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Golden Knights, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.
The league ruled Doughty delivered an illegal check to the head of Knights forward William Carrier midway through the third period of the Knights’ 1-0 victory Wednesday in the opening game of the best-of-seven series.
In announcing the suspension, the league cited Rule 48.1 that states “a hit resulting in contact with an opponent’s head where the head was the main point of contact and such contact to the head was avoidable is not permitted.