Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden has been suspended for two games following his hit to the head of Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev in Tuesday night’s home opener.
The incident occurred just over six minutes into the third period. Howden was assessed a match penalty on the play, which includes a five-minute major, a game misconduct and an automatic review of the play by the league. The Department of Player Safety requested a hearing with Howden and ultimately handed out a two-game suspension to the 25-year-old.
In its video announcement, the NHL Department of Player Safety explained that Howden “delivered a high, hard body check that makes the head the main point of contact on a hit where such head contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head.
“It is important to note that both elements of the illegal check to the head rule are satisfied on this play. First, the head is the main point of contact, as Howden’s shoulder makes direct contact with Tanev’s head, and it is the head that absorbs the majority of the force of the check. Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable.”
The Golden Knights killed off Howden’s five-minute major and went on to defeat the Kraken 4-1, securing their sixth season-opening win in seven seasons. It was a particularly memorable night, as the Golden Knights raised their 2023 Stanley Cup banner to the rafters before the game.
However, the club now finds itself shorthanded ahead of just the second game of the season.
In addition to Howden, the Golden Knights will be without William Carrier, who has been ruled out for Thursday night’s game and will not travel with the Golden Knights as they take on the San Jose Sharks, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Wednesday. Carrier exited Tuesday night’s game in the second period and was later ruled out for the remainder of the contest; he played just 5:09.
With two forwards out of the mix, the Golden Knights will shuffle a few lines to fill in the gaps. Paul Cotter will move up to the second line to play with Chandler Stephenson and Mark Stone in Howden’s place, while Pavel Dorofeyev will make his season debut on the third line with William Karlsson and Michael Amadio.
Dorofeyev made the team as the 13th forward following an impressive preseason. The former 2019 third-round pick (No. 79 overall) played 18 games last season and scored seven goals and nine points in a 10-game stretch from March 12 through April 3.
Vegas is expected to recall forward Jonas Rondbjerg from the Henderson Silver Knights to play on the fourth line with Nicolas Roy and Keegan Kolesar. Rondbjerg has two goals and seven points in 43 career games with the Golden Knights, and he scored 12 goals and 28 points in 54 games with Henderson in 2022-23.
Howden, who tallied an assist and finished the home opener with one shot, a plus-one rating and 15 penalty minutes in 11:57, will be eligible to return to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars.