PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Philadelphia forward Riley Cote was suspended for three games by the NHL on Monday, the fifth Flyers player disciplined by the league this season for illegal hits.
Cote was given a match penalty for a head shot that sent Dallas forward Mat Niskanen into the boards in the third period of the Stars’ 4-1 win over the Flyers on Saturday night.
Forward Scott Hartnell was suspended two games last week for checking Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Alberts in the head.
In the preseason, Steve Downie was hit with a 20-game ban after a high hit to the head of Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond.
Jesse Boulerice was dealt the longest single-season punishment in league history when he earned a 25-game suspension for hitting Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler across the face with his stick.
Randy Jones was given a two-game suspension after he sent Boston’s Patrice Bergeron face-first into the boards on Oct. 27. Bergeron hasn’t returned to action since he broke his nose and sustained a concussion as a result of the hit.
Cote leads the Flyers in penalty minutes with 61.
Home Flyers left wing Riley Cote suspended 3 games for hard hit