Toronto Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head on Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Erik Cernak during Tuesday night's NHL playoff game.
The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced after the game that Bunting will have a hearing on Wednesday for the incident. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun notes the hearing is scheduled to take place at 3pm ET.
Bunting's hearing with Player Safety is at 3 pm ET today
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) April 19, 2023
The play occurred with 4:20 remaining in the second period of Game 1 of the first-round playoff series when Bunting appeared to hit the unsuspecting Cernak in the head in front of the Tampa Bay net.
Cernak, who did not have the puck, fell backwards to the ice and went to the locker room.
Tampa Bay led Toronto 4-2 at the time of the play.
Bunting had 23 goals and 26 assists in 82 games for Toronto this season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2023.
- With files from TSN
