Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron has been suspended six games without pay for delivering a cross-check to the head of Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub on Saturday.
It's the first suspension of the veteran winger's 1,081-game NHL career. Perron's cross-check to Zub was made in retaliation after Detroit captain Dylan Larkin was left motionless on the ice due to a pair of hits by Senators players.
Larkin took an initial hit from Senators forward Mathieu Joseph, with the momentum carrying the Red Wings forward into Ottawa's Parker Kelly.
With Larkin still down, Perron skated towards Zub and raised his stick high on the defenseman. «The brunt of the impact of this blow is clearly absorbed by Zub's head, due to the actions and choices made by Perron,» said the Department of Player Safety in its suspension ruling, saying it was a play where «significant supplemental discipline is required.» Perron was given a match penalty at 13:50 of the first period.