Philadelphia Flyers forward Tom Sestito has been suspended for the remainder of the pre-season as well as two regular season games for an illegal check in a pre-season game.
The Flyers have two games remaining in the pre-season.
Midway through the first period of Monday's home contest against the New York Rangers, Sestito hit Rangers forward Andre Deveaux from behind into the boards of the Wells Fargo Centre.
Following the hit, Rangers defenceman Stu Bickel engaged Sestito in a fight that left the 27-year-old Flyers forward without his jersey.
Sestito was given a five-minute major for boarding, a five-minute major for fighting and a game misconduct on the play.
Deveaux was not injured and remained in the game, seeing over 12 minutes of ice time.
Following the game, Sestito felt he was just doing his job the way he normally plays on the ice.
"I don't consider myself a dirty player, but I finish my checks," Sestito told CSNPhilly. "Hopefully, it wasn't that bad."
The 23-year-old forward was, however, resigned to the fate of being suspended for his actions.
"Definitely not what I wanted to do is sit and watch when I want to show them what I can do," Sestito told CSNPhilly. "Everything happens for a reason."
Sestito, a native of Rome, New York, has appeared in 13 NHL games since making his debut during the 2007-08 season, all with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
He will be eligible to return to Philadelphia's line-up for the Flyers' third game of the season on Oct. 12 against Vancouver.
