Bruins’ McAvoy suspended 4 games for an illegal check to the head of Panthers’ Ekman-Larsson

NEW YORK — The NHL has suspended Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy for four games following an illegal check to the head of Florida’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

The league’s Department of Player Safety made this announcement on Tuesday, stating that McAvoy’s hit made Ekman-Larsson’s head the primary point of contact, despite the opportunity to avoid such head contact.

McAvoy made the hit on Ekman-Larsson with his left shoulder during the third period of the game between the two teams on Monday night. As a result, McAvoy was ejected with a match penalty, and Ekman-Larsson did not return to the ice.

The Florida Panthers also expressed concern over another hit delivered by McAvoy, this time on Carter Verhaeghe in the first period. Florida coach Paul Maurice, when asked about the hit on Ekman-Larsson, commented, “I thought it was identical to the hit on Verhaeghe in the first period.”

McAvoy managed to score the tying goal just minutes before the hit on Ekman-Larsson.

This is McAvoy’s second suspension in the NHL for a head shot, with the first being a one-game suspension for an illegal check on Columbus Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson during the 2019 playoffs. He has also received a fine earlier in his professional career spanning over six years.

McAvoy will lose $197,917 in salary and, unless he appeals, will not be eligible to play again until Boston’s game against the Montreal Canadiens on November 11.