| | NEW YORK -- NHL director of hockey operations Colin
Campbell continued his crackdown on high-sticking Friday,
suspending Phoenix Coyotes captain Keith Tkachuk two games for
an incident against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.
| |  | |
| Tkachuk |
The high-sticking occured 86 seconds into the third period of
Phoenix's 4-2 loss, when Tkachuk tangled with Avalanche defenseman Aaron Miller.
Tkachuk, who was playing in his second game
after missing 16 with a sprained ankle, was assessed a
double-minor penalty.
He will forfeit $57,986.10 based on his 1999-2000 salary and under
terms of the collective bargaining agreement.
Tkachuk becomes the latest in a long list of players suspended
this season for hits to or near the head.
New Jersey's Scott Niedermayer was given a 10-game ban on
Tuesday for whacking Peter Worrell of Florida in the head with
his stick, and Boston's Marty McSorley was given a 23-game
suspension, the longest in NHL history, on Feb. 22 for
sticking Vancouver's Donald Brashear in the right temple.
To replace Tkachuk, the Coyotes called up right wing Tavis
Hansen from the AHL's Springfield Falcons. Hansen had 20 goals and 26 assists in 51 games for Springfield.
In 26 NHL games with the Coyotes, Hansen has two goals and one assist. | |
ALSO SEE
Avs ride Sakic hat trick back to Northwest lead
NHL suspends Duchesne, Peca for hits to head
 |
