RALEIGH, N.C. _ Miles Wood's game is predicated on him playing on the edge physically.
The NHL on Sunday ruled he had gone over it.
The league's Department of Player Safety suspended Wood for two games and fined him $9,946.24 for his boarding minor on the Lightning's Vladislav Namestnikov at 4:54 of the second period of the Devils' 4-3 win at Tampa Bay on Saturday night.
It is the first career suspension for Wood, 22. He missed Sunday night's game at Carolina and will also have to miss Tuesday night's key Metropolitan Division matchup with the Blue Jackets at Prudential Center.
"The ruling is what it is so we'll live with it and move on," Devils coach John Hynes said.
Wood had a telephone hearing with the league on Sunday.
"I think it's one thing that happened in the game," Hynes said. "He's got no track record of it. I think he had a good meeting and I think he understands what the league is talking about and what he can do better next time. The biggest thing is that he learns from it, why it is a suspension and what he can do better because you want to play physical and play on the edge but you don't want to go over the edge."
The league ruled Namestnikov had his back to Wood through the whole sequence and Wood had time to change his course of action.
"It was an awkward angle hit," Wood said after Saturday's game. "He was a left-handed player so he was chipping the puck out and his leading shoulder was already facing north on the ice. I just came through and followed my check."
Wood was unavailable for comment on Sunday.
