Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo should expect to hear from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety in the near future after a dangerous hit from behind on Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang Tuesday.
Rinaldo received a five-minute boarding major and a game misconduct late in the first period. Letang was attended to by his team’s medical staff and was taken into the dressing room. He was not on the bench at the start of the second period.
Rinaldo is considered a repeat offender as he has been suspended before. Late last season he was suspended four games without pay for an illegal hit to the head of Buffalo Sabres defenceman Chad Ruhwedel.
Earlier in the period, prior to his hit on Letang, Rinaldo was given a two-minute cross-checking penalty after getting his stick up high on a Penguins player.
The 24-year-old had no goals, two assists and 58 penalty minutes in 35 appearances this season prior to Tuesday’s game.
