NHL bans Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson four games for elbow to head
Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (26) was suspended for four games by the NHL for elbowing Columbus forward Patrik Laine.
The Swede rushed to the Columbus blue line and leapt into Laine, slamming his left elbow into the Finnish right winger, who was knocked to the ice with five seconds remaining in the Blue Jackets' 3-1 victory.
Andersson was assessed a five-minute major penalty for elbowing and given a game misconduct on the play.
In announcing the punishment, the NHL said the force of the hit and the fact the outcome had been decided combined to elevate the level of punishment.
Laine did not play for Columbus on Saturday at Minnesota and was listed as day-to-day by the club with an upper-body injury.
Andersson, in his sixth full NHL season all spent with Calgary, will forfeit nearly $95,000 in salary under terms of the ban.