Rantanen of Dallas, suspended: Two ejections cost him a game

Mikko Rantanen Suspended After Incidents in the NHL

Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen has been suspended for one game after being ejected twice in a span of three games. Rantanen received a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct at the end of the second period in the 3-2 shootout loss to the Flames on Saturday. The penalty was for hitting Flames forward Matt Coronato from behind.

It was a terrible blow.

Ryan Huska, Flames coach

The NHL’s Player Safety Department did not call for a hearing following Rantanen’s latest infraction, according to sources. Instead, Rule 23.6 of the NHL’s regulations was applied, which stipulates an automatic one-game suspension for any player who receives a total of two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the “Physical Fouls” category within a span of 41 consecutive regular season games. The suspension will keep Rantanen out of Tuesday night’s game in Edmonton against the Oilers, a rematch of last year’s Western Conference final, which the Oilers won in five games. Rantanen, 29, is tied with Jason Robertson for the team lead for the Stars with 28 points in 22 games (10 goals, 18 assists). With his two ejections, he now leads the team with 57 penalty minutes. The hit on Saturday was the last of a difficult week for Rantanen. In last Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Islanders, the Stars’ winger was also ejected at the end of the game after hitting defenseman Alexander Romanov. That play provoked the anger of Islanders coach Patrick Roy, who launched a profane tirade as Rantanen left the ice, and then called the hit “disrespectful.”

I’m going to say that when you see the number, you have to stay away. Everybody knows it. You don’t go through the guy. It’s not his style. But at the same time, that shouldn’t be part of our game.

Patrick Roy, Islanders coach

Romanov has been out since that play and is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. According to sources, Romanov is getting a second opinion from the Islanders’ doctors over the weekend, but the team is preparing for the defenseman to be out “a while” due to an injury from that hit. Rantanen has no history of supplemental discipline in his 11-year career, which has spanned Colorado, Carolina, and now Dallas. Rantanen’s only notable history with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety before this suspension was a fine for embellishment.