Buffalo Sabres forward Johan Larsson was suspended two games Friday for cross-checking Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck.
Larsson was given a major and a match penalty after hitting Trocheck in the face with both hands on his stick Thursday night.
The league said Larsson made the case that he wasn't aiming for Trocheck's head, but the NHL countered with the fact that "players are responsible for their sticks at all times, and when a player attempts to intentionally use his stick to deliver a blow to an opponent, he cannot necessarily be excused of all responsibility when the blow lands in an unintended place."
The incident occurred late in the third period of the Panthers' 4-2 victory.
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