No suspension for Stars’ Jamie Benn after hit on Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Feb 20, 2020, 12:41 PM
Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes is checked out by team attendants after being checked into the boards by Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Jamie Benn’s hit that sent Arizona Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the locker room in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss will not be punished further, according to The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro.
The Dallas Stars forward served a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit.
Benn’s hit on Ekman-Larsson that led to ejection pic.twitter.com/2Agw1uLiY0
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) February 20, 2020
The two players have had history with Benn on the receiving end of a couple open-ice hits from the Coyotes in the past.
Hmmm, you remember these? pic.twitter.com/SQ0H12MmpB
— SatelliteBoys (@satelliteboys) February 20, 2020
According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety viewed the play as a “puck chase” apposed to a boarding “where one player was tracking another” causing the league to refrain from supplemental discipline.
Ekman-Larsson returned to the game and finished -1, 20:18 of ice time and three shots. Benn finished with one shot, 6:29 of ice time and 15 PIMs.
Dallas is tied for first-place in the Western Conference with the St. Louis Blues while the Coyotes are tied for a wild card spot with the Calgary Flames, one point ahead of the Winnipeg Jets.
