NHL lands Vancouver Canucks’ Byron Bitz 2-game ban over hit on Los Angeles Kings Kyle Clifford
The National Hockey League has ruled two-game suspension for Vancouver Canucks’ right wing, Byron Bitz, as a punishment to a hit on Los Angeles Kings’ left wing, Kyle Clifford, in the Western Conference quarterfinal game on Wednesday, April 11, 2012.
The league office has also landed Bitz a five-minute major boarding penalty and a game misconduct over his involvement in the hit, which is set to cost Clifford a similar number of games.
Kings’ winger was targeted during a battle for the puck, when Bitz skated into him and slammed the right side of his head into glass with helmet on.
Although Clifford successfully avoided suffering a serious injury as a result of the hit, he looked completely shaken initially and apparently was unable to stand up on his feet.
After the immediate spell of dizziness, he was helped by one of the team trainers to the bench, where he spent the entire second period of the game.
He then was taken to the team’s dressing room and did not show up for the remaining part of the game.
Later, Kings’ coach, Darryl Sutter, confirmed that the player was ruled out for the next couple of games, at least.
Lucky for the player that nothing has been reported as serious as concussion and the team remains hopeful that all goes well with him and he returns to the side after the stipulated two-game absence.
It was rather unfortunate for the player to have suffered another setback at this important juncture of the season. He has been restricted to participation in only 10 games during the entire current season due to sports hernia and related problems.
Canucks’ was his first game of the playoffs since his return to the side, which turned out to be another lower point of his career, and particularly this year’s run.
Still, there is a hope that he can manage playing a few games in the later part of the playoffs provided Kings are able to sustain their postseason run and he is able to recover well in time.
Kings, in the meantime, are said to have been weighing options to bring in his replacement, who could be Kevin Westgarth, as he remains to be fit and in form.
Other option is of Andrei Loktionov who has been called from Kings’ affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Westgarth is tipped to be leading the prospects of replacing Clifford given that he has already played as many as 25 games for the side and will be a right fit to their need.
Meanwhile, Canucks are hopeful of Bitz’s return after servicing the two-game ban. At the same time, they do not see themselves to be much affected by his absence.
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