The Buffalo Sabres Jeff Skinner has been suspended to three games for a cross-check to the Pittsburgh Penguins Jake Guentzel.
Buffalo’s Jeff Skinner has been suspended for three games for Cross-checking Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel. https://t.co/wAFQXD80xH
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 10, 2022
Jeff Skinner Suspended Three Games
The NHL Department of Player Safety decided on a three-game suspension for Skinner’s actions late in their game Friday. In the Penguins’4-3 overtime win, Guentzel gave Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson a quick slash during a stoppage with 22 seconds left in regulation. Skinner chased Guentzel to the boards and brought his sick up into Guentzel’s face. The result was a major and a game misconduct for Skinner.
The Penguins took advantage of the power play in overtime, scoring on a 4-on-3 to end the game. With the win, Pittsburgh is on an 11-2-2 run after going on a 0-6-1 and now has 34 points in 27 games. While they aren’t comfortably in a playoff spot with both New York teams hot on their heels. Every point helps in the Metropolitan Division.
The Sabres are falling behind projections to challenge for a playoff spot themselves this season. Their fiery 7-3-0 start was sunk by an eight-game losing streak. Since then, though, they’ve gone 5-2-2 to regain their footing. Currently, they stand seven points away from either a wild card spot in the conference or one of the Metro Division’s three slots.
Early Sequel
The two teams meet again in Pittsburgh tonight, and emotions always run hot in back-to-back games. The Sabres aren’t going to be happy with missing their second-leading scorer for the rematch, never mind the next two. Jeff Skinner is building on last year’s excellent 33-goal, 66-point season with 13 goals and 32 points in 27 games this year. His current six-game point streak – four goals, eleven points – will be broken by tonight’s absence.
Anderson is almost certainly going to play backup in tonight’s rematch as well. That leaves the only returning player from yesterday’s drama being Guentzel. We’ll see if he gets all the attention of the Sabres tonight.
Most games with 5+ points since the start of the 2021-22 NHL season:
3 – Nathan MacKinnon
3 – Jonathan Huberdeau
2 – Jeff Skinner#NHL pic.twitter.com/Cb4LUQDBEu— Hockey Reference (@hockey_ref) December 2, 2022
