Dallas Stars’ Roussel suspended two games for cross-check
Dallas Stars forward Antoine Roussel has been suspended for two games without pay for cross-checking Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid in the throat in Tuesday’s game in Boston, the NHL announced Thursday.
Roussel was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for cross-checking at 3:43 of the first period.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on his average annual salary, Roussel will forfeit $21,505.38, the NHL said. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
This is the first suspension for Roussel. He will miss Friday’s game against Florida in Dallas and Saturday’s game at Colorado.
Roussel, carrying the puck up the left boards, made a move to avoid a body check by McQuaid. When both players turned to engage each other, McQuaid appeared to drop his gloves for a fight.
Roussel held his stick with both hands and drove it into the neck of McQuaid, who dropped to the ice. The cross-check, according to the NHL Department of Player Safety, can neither be classified as reflexive or defensive, which would have been punished only by a penalty on the ice.
“While we accept Roussel’s claim that he did not intend to strike McQuaid in the neck, he clearly raised his stick to a dangerous level.”
Roussel, 25, born in Roubaix, France, has 11 goals and 11 assists this season, his third with the Stars.
He told the Stars website: “Of course, I have to take care of my stick. I am just trying to protect myself. I didn’t want to fight. I blocked two shots before that with my right hand. My hand was numb, and I didn’t want to fight. … I tried to defend myself, and I am glad he didn’t get hurt.”
This story was originally published February 12, 2015 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Dallas Stars’ Roussel suspended two games for cross-check."