Gudbranson suspended by NHL Player Safety

This just in, NHL Player Safety has suspended Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson one game for his "altercation" with Florida Panthers forward Nick Cousins.

Check it out:

Here's the play in question:

Gudbranson essentially tackled Cousins and then started raining punches on him, despite officials trying to break things up. That's because earlier in the game though, Cousins absolutely BODIED Gudbranson with a dangerous hit from behind that earned Cousins just a two minute minor penalty.

Gudbranson, it appears, got his revenge but it earned him a one game suspension.

Read below for our earlier report on Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron and his six game suspension handed down from NHL Player Safety, just minutes before Gudbranson's ruling. Needless to say, the discrepancy between these two suspensions from NHL Player Safety is quite a topic of conversation amongst Red Wings fans online!

Yeesh!

This just in, Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron has been suspended 6 games by NHL Player Safety for his cross check on Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub.

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More to come on this developing story.

Perron was given an in-person hearing with NHL Player Safety earlier today to answer for high cross check on Zub from Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Senators. The incident occurred midway through the 1st period after Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was sandwiched with hits between Sens players Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly. Larkin appeared to get knocked unconscious while still on his skates and then proceeded to fall face first onto the ice. He laid there prone for moments in what Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot described as a, "scary moment for everybody in the rink."

Perron, thinking he was coming to his captain's defense, then delivered a reckless cross check to Zub mistaking him for the offender on Larkin.

Here's the play in question:

Perron was initially called for a five minute cross checking major, which was upgraded to a match penalty upon review. Zub was not injured on the play and went on to play more than 20 minutes in the game.

Meanwhile it looks like Larkin will be out of the Red Wings' lineup indefinitely. ESPN insider Kevin Weekes reported today that Larkin's x-ray scans all came back negative (good news) but that there's still no time frame for his return to the lineup.

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Joseph and Kelly each received just two minute minor penalties for roughing on the play.

Needless to say, but losing both Perron and Larkin from their lineup will be a tough pill for the Red Wings to swallow. The team is currently riding a two game losing streak and are losing ground in an extremely tight Atlantic Division. They're hanging on to a Wild Card playoff spot but the skin of their teeth, just one point up on the surging Tampa Bay Lightning.