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LAS VEGAS – The Joe Thornton Center was suspended Monday for a game by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, leaving the Sharks without one of their greatest and most productive leaders for the fourth game of their playoff series against the Golden Knights of Vegas.
Thornton was suspended for an illegal check at the head of Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek in the second half of Sunday's third game, a 6-3 loss to the Sharks. Thornton, who had a hearing with the league earlier Monday, will be eligible to return for the fifth game in San Jose on Thursday.
As Nosek returned to the Golden Knights' baseline late in the second period, pushing back a control from Brenden Dillon, Thornton came in behind the Vegas net and cut Nosek's head off with his left shoulder. Nosek had just thrown the puck.
The player safety department ruled that after Nosek had pucked the puck, Thornton "gave him a direct shoulder in the head, knocking him down on the ice.
"It is important to note that the head is clearly the main point of contact on this shot, and that the contact of the head is preventable."
The NHL also noted that even though Nosek had a low position when he passed the puck, he did not significantly change the position of his head or body just prior to contact. Thornton received an illegal check of the main minor penalty for the offense at 16:54 of the second goal. The Sharks trailed behind the Golden Knights 4-1 at the time.
The only other time Thornton was suspended in his 21-year career in the NHL was November 2010, when he had two games against David Perron and then the St. Louis Blues. In March, he and the Golden Knights attacker, Ryan Reaves, were each fined $ 2,500.
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