COLUMBUS, Ohio — The NHL has suspended Columbus forward Nick Foligno for three games for a hit that leveled Colorado Avalanche forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.
The Department of Player Safety announced the penalty for the Blue Jackets captain on Monday.
Foligno dropped Bellemare with the open-ice hit with his elbow to Bellemare’s jaw at 17:15 of the second period Saturday. Foligno said he hadn’t intended to hurt Bellemare and “felt sick to my stomach when I saw that I hit him in the head.”
Foligno was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for charging.
He said he traded text messages with Bellemare after the game to make sure he was OK.