NHL suspends Oilers captain McDavid two games for check to head

NEW YORK — The NHL has suspended Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid two games for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenceman Nick Leddy.

The incident occurred in the first period of Edmonton’s 4-3 overtime win over New York on Thursday, in which McDavid scored the winning goal.

Leddy bobbled the puck as he chipped it into the Oilers zone. McDavid, who was backchecking, stepped in front of Leddy as he tried to play the pick and hit the Islanders’ defenceman in the head with his shoulder.

“Obviously it was not a great check, not what I was trying to do. I was just trying to finish my check,” McDavid said after the game in Edmonton. “He stopped a little bit earlier than I thought and I maybe clipped him a little too high. That was obviously not the intent at all.”

McDavid, who has no previous record of supplemental discipline, will forfeit US$134,408.60 and will miss games Saturday versus Anaheim and Monday at Nashville.

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He will be eligible to return when the Oilers visit Toronto on Wednesday.

McDavid leads the Oilers in scoring with 32 goals and 53 assists in 58 games.

— With files from Shane Jones in Edmonton.

The Canadian Press