Flames' Mangiapane suspended after "reckless crosscheck"

The Calgary Flames will have to play without forward Andrew Mangiapane for a little bit.

NHL Player Safety announced on social media on Sunday afternoon that the 27-year-old was suspended one game for cross-checking the upper back and neck of Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann on Saturday night.

Calgary’s Andrew Mangiapane has been suspended for one game for Cross-checking Seattle’s Jared McCann. https://t.co/4DU7Wkq2Oq

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 5, 2023

At the time of the play, Mangiapane was assessed a match penalty and was thrown out of the game. McCann did go to the Seattle dressing room for a time but did return to play later in the game, which indicates that he did not suffer a significant injury.

Mangiapane was issued a hearing on Sunday morning. A video provided by the NHL explaining the suspension revealed Mangiapane’s side of the story.

“It is important to note that [NHL Player Safety] accepts Mangiapane’s contention that he does not intend to drive McCann’s head into the ice on this play. In addition [NHL Player Safety] acknowledges that this is not a case in which a player uses the full extension of his arms or his body weight to strike an opponent or intentionally drive him violently into the ice.”

Even with these concessions, the department of player safety still felt that the play was worthy of a one-game suspension.

“Mangiapane is in control throughout this sequence and makes the decision to deliver a reckless cross-check to a player lying vulnerable on the ice which causes McCann’s head to impact the ice.”

Mangiapane’s lack of history when it comes to being suspended was also taken into consideration.

The suspension means the Flames will be without their leading goal-scorer for Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators.

This is the second time this season that a Flames player has been suspended. Defenceman Rasmus Andersson missed the Heritage Classic after being suspended four games for a hit on Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine on October 20.

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