New York, NY – The National Hockey League handed down a game suspension without pay to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers on Tuesday.
Myers was given a minor for boarding early in the third period of Monday's 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens after he delivered an illegal hit to Montreal forward Scott Gomez along the end boards.
"At no point during Myers' approach to the check does he see anything other than Gomez's back. The onus, therefore, is on Myers to avoid this hit completely, or at the very least, minimize it," said Brendan Shanahan, head of the league's department of player safety.
"He does neither. Rather, he drives into a defenseless player with force. We've taken into consideration that Gomez suffered an injury on the play. We also noted that Myers has not been suspended or fined previously during his three-year NHL career."
Myers will be docked $14,189.19 which automatically goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund, and he is not eligible to return until March 21, when the Canadiens again play the Sabres in Buffalo.
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