NHL delivers verdict on controversial automatic suspension to Brady Tkachuk!

Hockey witness an intense showdown between Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres Alex Tuch late in the third period last night. Tuch tripped Tkachuk while he was leaving the zone without the puck, and the Senators' captain exploded out of the gates and pummelled the Sabres' forward with a flurry of punches, and got the local crowd on its feet despite the 6-4 loss. However, talks soon emerged that Tkachuk would be automatically suspended for one game for instigating a fight in the final five minutes. 

While the Senators stated that they would appeal the suspension, it sounds like there will be none in the end. According to team insider Bruce Garrioch, sources have confimed that the NHL’s department of player safety won’t suspend Tkachuk and coach D.J. Smith won’t be fined for the incident late in against Buffalo.

Tkachuk received a two-minute instigator penalty and a 10-minute misconduct in addition to the fighting major. As Garrioch points out, “it will be up to the officials to decide if the instigator is erased.”

After the game, head coach D.J. Smith had explained how he didn't think Tkachuk should be suspended and how the team would appeal the ban if the captain had been suspended :

“I know what the rule is for, at the end when you send guys out [specifically to fight]. I don’t see that situation at all. I see a guy that went out of his way to hit him dirty, and he sticks up for himself. The league will make that call and let us know, but I see that not what the rule is intended for.”

This means that Tkachuk will be eligible to suit up Thursday night to start the Senators' two-game road trip against the New York Islanders at USB Arena.

Tkachuk was held without a point in 20:25 of ice time against the Sabres. So far this season, he has four goals and six points in six games. As for his Senators, they dropped to 3-3-0 on the early season with yesterday’s loss.

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