New York, NY – Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta was suspended four games by the NHL for an illegal hit on Flyers forward Jakub Voracek.
Early in the first period of Philadelphia's 3-2 win on Wednesday night, Kaleta drove the top of his helmet into Voracek's face as several players battled for a puck against the boards.
NHL discipline czar Brendan Shanahan explained in a video Thursday, when the suspension was announced, that Kaleta had been fined for the same illegal hit against Devils forward Travis Zajac during a game on October 13, 2010.
More recently, Kaleta did the same thing to Thrashers (Jets) defenseman Tobias Enstrom on February 23.
"This recent history of ramming his head into the faces of his opponents regardless of whether he is trying to free the puck leads us to believe that this act is intentional," Shanahan said.
Kaleta is eligible to return November 12 at Boston. He will forfeit a little more than $19,621 in salary, which goes into the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
It is the second lengthy suspension handed out by the NHL this week.
On Tuesday, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andy Sutton was suspended five games for an illegal hit to the head on Colorado forward Gabriel Landeskog last Friday.
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