LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights will be down another player heading into Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks.
Brett Howden is facing a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head against Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev on Tuesday night.
According to the National Hockey League's Player Safety Department, the head was the main point of contact on a hit where such contact was avoidable.
"Howden chooses an angle of approach that cuts across the front of Tanev's body missing his core and picking his head," league officials said in their ruling. "If Howden wants to deliver this hit, he must stay low and choose an angle that hits through Tanev's shoulder and core rather than one that makes the head the point of contact."
League officials said Howden has neither been fined nor suspended previously in his 280-game career.
Due to Howden's suspension, head coach Bruce Cassidy said that Jonas Rondbjerg will be called up.
The Golden Knights are also down due to Zach Whitecloud and Alec Martinez being on the injured reserve list to start the season. William Carrier was also injured in last night's game and Cassidy said Carrier will not be traveling with the team to San Jose on Thursday. Cassidy added that Pavel Dorofeyev will go into the lineup instead.
🎥 Cassidy on today's optional skate: I figured we could mentally reset today. pic.twitter.com/xe9uN1vNwM
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 11, 2023
Puck-drop for Thursday night's game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and you can watch the game on Vegas 34 and KnightTime+.
