CALGARY, AB - MARCH 04: Seattle Kraken Defenceman Vince Dunn (29) heads to the bench after taking a hit during the third period of an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the Seattle Kraken on March 4, 2024, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary …
Calgary Flames forward Martin Pospisil has been three games for his hit driving Seattle Kraken defensman Vince Dunn dangerously into the boards on Monday night.
Pospisil was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct as he drilled Dunn from behind into the boards in the third period. Pospisil had a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Wednesday before the suspension was levied.
"Dunn collects the pass while facing the boards and begins to make a play with the puck. With Dunn still facing the boards, Pospisil hits him forcefully from behind, driving him dangerously into the boards and causing an injury. This is boarding," the NHL said in a video recapping the play.
It was at least the second questionable hit delivered by Pospisil against a Kraken defenseman in Monday's game. Pospisil delivered a hit to Adam Larsson on the opening shift of the game, which also came with Larsson in a vulnerable position near the boards. Pospisil hit Larsson from the side and it knocked Larsson clean off his feet and head first into the boards. Larsson was OK after the hit and didn't miss any time,
The hit on Dunn was even more egregious. Dunn had his back turned and was facing the boards when Pospisil drove through his backside. Dunn went head first into the boards and immediately seemed to be favoring his left shoulder as he quickly retreated to the locker room.
"Pospisil sees only Dunn's back from this moment until he eventually makes contact with Dunn at the side of the net," the NHL video continued. "While we acknowledge that Dunn does open up slightly at the last second so some contact is made with Dunn's side, the brunt of the impact here is delivered to Dunn's back. Pospisil's right skate is positioned between Dunn's legs at the moment of impact which shows clearly that his angle of approach was always aligned to deliver this check through Dunn's back.
"The onus is upon Pospisil to avoid this hit entirely, change his angle of approach to deliver this check legally, or at the very least minimize the impact of this hit. Instead, with time to make a different decision, Pospisil chooses to drive Dunn forcefully into the boards from behind."
Tye Kartye attempted to fight Pospisil in response to the hit on Larsson midway through the second period, but Pospisil didn't engage in the fight. Pospisil has a history of concussions that has forced him to miss playing time in the past.
Matty Beniers immediately jumped Pospisil in defense of Dunn, and Brandon Tanev and Blake Coleman would engage in a fight of their own before the end of the contest.
"Garbage," head coach Dave Hakstol said Monday night of the plays by Pospisil. "Not a whole lot different than the first hit six, seven seconds into the game (on Larsson). If you're going to run around like that, you probably need to answer when somebody comes at you man-to-man. And that didn't happen either. From there, I'll leave it to the league."
It's the second suspension for a Flames player for an illegal hit on a Kraken player this season. Andrew Mangiapane was suspended just one game for cross-checking Jared McCann in the back of the head and driving his face into the ice in a game back in November.
RELATED: Andrew Mangiapane suspended one game for cross-check on Kraken's Jared McCann