Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane was issued a one-game suspension by the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety on Sunday, after a match penalty he was issued on Saturday night in a 6-3 loss for the Seattle Kraken to the Flames at Climate Pledge Arena.
Mangiapane and McCann pursued a loose puck in the first period at the left circle following blocked shot by McCann. The puck wound up underneath McCann, still lying on the ice, who then took a two-handed shove to the back of the neck by Mangiapane.
McCann’s head visibly drove into the ice following the check, and Mangiapane was issued a five-minute major penalty for the cross-check, with intent to injure, and was ejected from the game with an additional a game misconduct infraction.
“We accept Mangiapane’s contention that he does not intend to drive McCann’s head into the ice on this play,” said the Department of Player Safety in a video release on Sunday.
“In addition, we acknowledge this is not a case in which a player uses the full extension of his arms or his body weight to strike an opponent or intentionally drive him violently into the ice. However, Mangiapane is in control throughout this sequence, and makes the decision to deliver a reckless cross-check to a player lying vulnerable on the ice, which causes McCann’s head to impact the ice.”
McCann, visibly shaken, would return later in the first period. Mangiapane has never been fined or suspended before, in his six-plus seasons in the NHL with the Flames.
The Kraken, who scored a goal on an Oliver Bjorkstrand wrist shot on the five-minute major power play, will return to play at 6pm PT, on Tuesday at Arizona.