Arizona Coyotes forward Jason Zucker was suspended three games by the NHL for a boarding infraction against Florida’s Nick Cousins on Tuesday, the league’s Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday night.
Zucker sent Cousins face first into the boards at 19:05 of the second period after Cousins delivered an elbow to Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki. Zucker was given five minutes for boarding Cousins and another five for the ensuing fight with Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling.
Zucker racked up 20 total penalty minutes in the 4-1 loss to the Panthers.
After a hearing with Zucker on Wednesday, the Department of Player Safety stated in its announcement of the punishment that Zucker gave a “check to the defenseless Cousins, driving him dangerously into the boards and causing an injury.”
The statement noted that Zucker has never been fined or suspended previously in his 657 career NHL games.
The three-game ban will cost Zucker $82,812.51, with that money instead going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Zucker, 31, has 12 points (six goals, six assists) and 36 penalty minutes in 29 games this season, his first with the Coyotes.
A second-round pick in the 2010 draft, Zucker has 350 career points (188 goals, 162 assists) in 13 seasons with the Minnesota Wild (2011-20), Pittsburgh Penguins (2020-23) and Arizona.
–Field Level Media
