The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Chicago Blackhawks center Drake Caggiula for one game for an illegal check to the head of Edmonton Oilers center Tyler Ennis during Saturday's 6-4 win in Game 1 of their best-of-five series.
"I feel bad for Jules," coach Jeremy Colliton said Sunday. "He's been excited about this series, playing his old team. just kind of a bang-bang play."
With about 12 minutes left in the second period, Ennis lowered his head to make a pass and was hit by Caggiula's shoulder. Caggiula wasn't given a penalty for the play.
"He went hard," Colliton said, "I don't think he was trying to catch him in the head but he did. NHL made the decision and of course, we wish we had him in the lineup but we won't."
The Hawks play the Oilers in Game 2 Monday night, and they'll do it without one of their most physical players.
Colliton said Caggiula "provides an element we don't have a lot of, just physical and gritty player, likes to go to the net, be in those 50-50 situation and do different things."
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