The Florida Panthers faced a setback as defenseman Dmitry Kulikov caught the attention of the NHL's Department of Player Safety.
Following an official announcement on Sunday, the league revealed Kulikov's impending suspension for an "illegal check to the head" on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Sheary during the weekend's game.
While Kulikov's hit wasn't malicious, the head contact raises concern. Despite aiming for Sheary's shoulder, the unfortunate timing of Sheary's position led to significant impact on his head. Speculation suggests a mild 1-2 game suspension, but NHL Player Safety's decisions remain unpredictable.
Dmitry Kulikov gets a match penalty for an illegal check to the head AND Florida gets their goal waived off 😅