NHL DOPS won't be issuing further discipline to Noesen
Published
The NHL Department of Player Safety will not be issuing supplemental discipline to New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen for his hit to the head on Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson on Sunday afternoon.
Noesen was issued a match penalty for elbowing Thompson in the face at 5:11 into the third period of Buffalo's 4-3 win.
Thompson was lunging for the puck near the blue line when Noesen knocked it away and continued charging into Thompson. The hit knocked Thompson’s helmet off and spun him around. Buffalo’s top scorer was down on the ice for a moment before rising to one knee and skating off the ice on his way to the dressing room. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters after the game that Thompson passed the concussion-related tests.
“That penalty was well-deserved,” Ruff said. “I know I had a couple guys that wanted to go after him right away. And where we were at in the game, there was going to be a time to even the score.”
Noesen did not speak to reporters after the game. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe did not address the hit in his postgame comments.
Thompson had a goal and two assists in helping the Sabres win their third game in a row.