Brenden Dillon suspended one game for slash on Madison Bowey

Brenden Dillon has been suspended for one game, following his slash on the Washington Capitals’ Madison Bowey late in the third period of Monday night’s match up.

Here’s the explanation from the Department of Player Safety:

Monday night, in Washington, Sharks defensemen Brenden Dillon was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for slashing Capitals defensemen Madison Bowey. As the video shows, late in the third period, with the score out of reach, Dillon carries the puck into the Capitals zone, as Bowey steps up to defend him. Bowey delivers a shove to Dillon that knocks him off balance. As Dillon regains his balance, he brings his stick down forcefully onto the hand of Bowey. This is slashing.

It is important to note that this is not a slash delivered as part of a hockey play. Dillon is not attempting to alert an opponent to his presence, or to make a defensive play on a player with a puck. This is simply a frustrated player making a retaliatory and forceful slash to a vulnerable area of an opponent’s body.

To summarize: This is slashing. Dillon has been neither fined or suspended previously in his 392 game NHL career. The Department of Player Safety has suspended Brenden Dillon for one game.

This being his first offense likely affected the length of the suspension.

With Brenden Dillon out and Tim Heed’s health questionable, Paul Martin may make his return to the line up tomorrow night.