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Maxim Tsyplakov suspended three games for illegal check to the head on Ryan Poehling

Tsyplakov didn’t avoid discipline for his predatory hit on Poehling

Jan 16, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Ryan Poehling (25) is helped off the ice after suffering an injury in the first period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

There may not have been a penalty called on the ice, but New York Islanders forward Maxim Tsyplakov isn’t avoiding discipline for his high hit on Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Poehling on Thursday night.

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Friday morning that Tsyplakov would have a hearing for the hit and came down with a three-game suspension later that afternoon.

In the explanation video, the narrator explains that Tsyplakov “delivered a high, forceful check … making (Poehling’s) head the main point of contact on a hit where such head contact was avoidable.” It goes on to explain that “both elements of the illegal check to the head rule are satisfied on this play.

“First, the head is the main point of contact. While Tsyplakov does make some glancing shoulder-on-shoulder contact on this hit, his shoulder makes direct and forceful contact with Poehling’s head and it is Poehling’s head that absorbs the vast majority of the force of this check.

“Second, the head contact on this check is avoidable.”

The Islanders forward could’ve just as easily made a forceful hit through the body by staying lower, but he elected to go high which caused a head injury to Poehling.

Given the fact that Poehling was injured on the play and that Tsyplakov had yet to be fined or suspended in his short 44-game NHL career, the NHL DoPS landed on a three-game suspension for the rookie forward. The three-game suspension will keep Tsyplakov out of action through the Flyers – Islanders rematch on Friday, January 24.

The Flyers were able to rally around Poehling and put together a comeback win on Long Island on Thursday night.

Poehling is with the team in New Jersey as the Flyers prepare for Saturday afternoon’s game against the Devils, per Kevin Kurz, but he won’t play in that one. Olle Lycksell will take his place in the lineup with Scott Laughton likely sliding over to center the fourth line.

Although there was no penalty called on the ice, it’s good to see the NHL come down hard on Tysplakov for the predatory hit.

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