McAvoy suspended 4 games for actions in Bruins game

Defenseman banned for illegal check to head against Panthers defenseman Ekman-Larsson

NEW YORK The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety stated today that Charlie McAvoy, a defender for the Boston Bruins, has been banned for four games without pay for allegedly giving Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson an unauthorized check to the head during NHL Game No. 130 in Boston on Monday, October 30.

The event happened in the third quarter at 9:24. McAvoy received a penalty for the match.

McAvoy will lose $197,916.68 in accordance with the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and his average yearly wage. The Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund is the beneficiary of the funds.

 MRE STORIES: Seattle Kraken

Jaden Schwartz is expected to be out about six weeks because of an upper-body injury. The forward was placed on injured reserve Thursday.

“Not available today,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said Thursday prior to Seattle’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. “We still have some further evaluation to do but he’s not available [Thursday] and we will update it a little bit more. It’s not a day-to-day situation we don’t believe, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.”

Schwartz left a 4-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday early in the third period. He had one shot on goal and was minus-1 in 9:33 of ice time.

Forward Marián Studenič made his Kraken debut Thursday, and forward Max McCormick was recalled from Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League on Friday. Forward Andrew Poturalski was sent to the AHL.

“That’s the nature of the game,” Hakstol said. “He’s a guy that is important to us, but now we’ve got opportunity for somebody else and collectively the group has to fill in those holes and overcome his absence here for a little while.”

The Kraken, who have lost three straight games, next play at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN1, TVAS2, ROOT-NW). — Dave McCarthy

Ottawa Senators

Thomas Chabot will play against the the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Friday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, TSN5, RDS) after missing 10 games because of a broken right hand.

“Obviously very excited,” the defenseman said Thursday. “There’s nothing worse than sitting upstairs and watching the guys go out there and battle. You just want to be out there with them.”

He is expected to be paired with Artem Zub.

The Senators were 5-5-0 without Chabot.

“When you lose one of your top players certainly it hurts,” coach D.J. Smith said Friday, “but for that length of time, there were some games we held it together but we’re certainly a much better team with him here.”

Chabot has three assists and has averaged 24:19 of ice time in seven games this season.

He said it won’t take long to acclimate to the pace of playing again.

“Fortunately enough that with the injury I had, I’ve been skating for a while,” he said Thursday. “Really, it’s just going back there and trying to help the team win.” — Craig Merz

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kent Johnson will play against the Ottawa Senators on Friday, one day after he was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League.

The forward had three points (one goal, two assists) in eight NHL games before being assigned to the AHL on Nov. 3. He had 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 10 AHL games.

“I’m super excited,” Johnson said Friday. “It almost feels like the season opener again.”

Johnson has played center and wing during his time in the NHL and could start Friday at right wing on a line with left wing Johnny Gaudreau and center Boone Jenner.

“The big piece was touch the puck, playing hard minutes, heavy minutes, important moments, and he did that,” coach Pascal Vincent said. “He’s feeling good about himself so we’re excited to have him back.”

Columbus placed defenseman Damon Severson on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 19. He sustained an oblique injury in a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers and is expected to be out six weeks. — Craig Merz

New Jersey Devils

Timo Meier will play for the Devils against the San Jose Sharks on Friday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, NBCSCA, SN, TVAS).

The forward has missed seven games because of a lower-body injury. He skated Thursday but has yet to practice since being injured Nov. 14 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Devils didn’t have a morning skate Friday or prior to their 4-3 overtime win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

Asked what about Meier’s skate Thursday made him feel Meier was ready to return, Ruff said, “That he felt great. He skated yesterday here, was involved in some physicality, and then again today, so the decision with the injuries we’ve had, he said he’s ready. We’re going to play him.”

It will be Meier’s first game against the Sharks, the team he spent his first seven NHL seasons with prior to being traded to the Devils on Feb. 26. — Adam Kimelman

Nashville Predators

Alexandre Carrier is out week to week because of an upper-body injury sustained after being hit by Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov during the first period of a 6-1 loss Thursday.

The defenseman had been playing on Nashville’s second pair with Jeremy Lauzon. He has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 22 games and leads the Predators with 51 blocked shots. He’s averaging 2:38 of short-handed ice time per game, second on the Predators after defenseman Ryan McDonagh (3:10).

Defensemen Dante Fabbro, Tyson Barrie and Luke Schenn are right-handed shots who could slot into Carrier’s spot alongside the left-shooting Lauzon.

The Predators (11-11-0) had a six-game winning streak ended by the Wild. They next play Saturday against the New York Rangers at Bridgestone Arena (4:30 p.m. ET; BSSO, MSG). — Robby Stanley

Winnipeg Jets

Vladislav Namestnikov has a lower-body injury, and the forward will miss at least the Jets’ next two games.

“He won’t play tomorrow,” coach Rick Bowness said Friday. “Probably won’t play on Monday. I’d say a couple of days and go from there.”

The Jets (12-8-2) host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN3, NBCSCH) and the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday before starting a four-game road trip at the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 7.

Namestnikov was injured during the third period of a 3-1 loss against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Bowness said he believes it occurred when Namestnikov was tied up with Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.

Namestnikov has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 22 games.

Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi, who played Thursday after missing 18 games because of a knee injury, will move up to the second line in place of Namestnikov and play with Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti, who moves to center.

Forward David Gustafsson will play, and defenseman Declan Chisholm will make his season debut in place of Nate Schmidt. Forward Adam Lowry took a maintenance day Friday and is expected to play Saturday. — Darrin Bauming

Philadelphia Flyers

Joel Farabee is expected to receive his regular ice time for the Flyers against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, NBCSP) after being benched for most of a 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

The forward played two shifts totaling 56 seconds, the last coming when he was on the ice for Alexander Holtz’s goal that gave the Devils a 1-0 lead 3:10 into the first period.

Tortorella’s only comment on the decision Thursday was, “Because he didn’t listen.”

Farabee practiced Friday at left wing on a line with center Scott Laughton and right wing Cam Atkinson, which is where he started Thursday.

“He’ll be fine,” Tortorella said Friday of Farabee. “I had a two-second discussion [with Farabee] as we passed ways in the hallway. That’s all that needed to be done.”

Prior to Thursday, Farabee had been fifth among Flyers forwards in average ice time at 15:26 in 22 games.