The NHL has suspended Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden for two games due to an illegal check to the head that injured Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev in Tuesday night’s season opener.
Howden delivered a blindside shoulder to the head of Tanev that knocked him to the ice. Tanev stayed down for a couple of minutes while being attended to by trainers and did not return to the game. Howden received a match penalty and a game misconduct for an illegal check to the head that give Seattle a five-minute major penalty power play.
“First, the head is the main point of contact as Howden’s shoulder makes direct contact with Tanev’s head and it is the head that absorbs the majority of the force of the check,” the NHL said in a video announcing the suspension.
“Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable. Howden chooses an angle of approach that cuts across the front of Tanev’s body, missing his core and picking his head. If Howden wants to deliver this hit, he must stay low and choose an angle that hits through Tanev’s shoulder and core rather than one that makes the head the main point of contact.”
It’s the first suspension of Howden’s 280-game NHL career.
Tanev’s injury brings into question his availability for Thursday night’s game against the Nashville Predators. If he’s unable to play, Tye Kartye would be expected to draw into the lineup in Tanev’s place as he’s the only backup forward currently on the Kraken roster.
