Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik was suspended three games for his late hit to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta.
Orpik will miss Game 3 Monday, Game 4 Wednesday and Game 5 Saturday. He would be eligible to return if the series gets to Game 6 on May 10.
Orpik hit Maatta in the head after the puck was gone four minutes into Game 2 Saturday and was given a two-minute minor penalty for interference. After a hearing with the NHL's department of player safety, the punishment was far more severe.
Director of player safety Patrick Burke said Sunday in the video announcing the suspension that "this hit is forceful, unacceptably high and excessively late." Orpik waiting a full second after Maatta released the puck for a shot and his "significant head contact" contributed to the suspension, as did Maatta's injury. Maatta's status for Game 3 is uncertain.
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• Florida's Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh's Pascal Dupuis and the New York Rangers' Mats Zuccarello are the finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy as the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
• The stray cat that ran on the ice before San Jose's second-round series opener on Friday now has a name. The Sharks named the cat "Joe PAW-velski" in honor of captain Joe Pavelski.
The cat was recovered by arena staff after leaving the ice and will be sent to an animal shelter. If its owner isn't found, it will be put up for adoption.
