Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith received a match penalty and was ejected from the team’s game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night. The reason for the call? Keith swung his stick at the face of Wild forward Charlie Coyle and drew blood, earning a five-minute major for intent to injure to end his night.
There’s not a ton to add here. Keith got knocked onto his back on the ice, then proceeded to swing his stick upwards right into Coyle’s face while turning. That’s just never, ever going to fly, especially so when you end up actually striking the guy hard enough to draw blood. Keith is surely wishing he had this one back already.
Unless the NHL decides to rescind the penalty, which seems unlikely based on the video, he will also be facing suspension. That means Chicago may be without Keith for its Friday night matchup against the Winnipeg Jets and potentially longer. The league is already looking at the matter.
Officially, Duncan Keith is automatically suspended pending league review. Previous suspension for stick-swinging doesn’t help his cause.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 30, 2016
The Hawks were already trailing 1-0 at the time of Keith’s ejection, which left the team without another top defenseman after Brent Seabrook was a late scratch due to illness. However, Marian Hossa scored a shorthanded goal — his 499th in the NHL — during the Wild’s five-minute power play to tie the game.
Sometimes smart, brilliant players do things they probably regret on the ice. We’re guessing this is going to be one of them for Keith.