TORONTO -- St. Louis Blues forward Keith Tkachuk received a
three-game suspension from the NHL on Saturday that will cost him
more than $365,000.
This latest suspension was for his cross-check to the neck of
San Jose defenseman Rob Davison during the second period Thursday.
"I was a little surprised," Tkachuk told the Associated Press
between the first and second periods of Saturday's game at Los
Angeles.
"I just wanted to go up and push him," he said. "I know I hit
him in the shoulder, and I think he overreacted and embellished it
a little bit. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss three games. It was
just one of those things.
"I obviously have to be a little more careful with my stick and
a little more in control. I've got to accept my responsibility and
respect their decision and move on," Tkachuk said.
Tkachuk lost more than $487,000 in a suspension last season.
Tkachuk was to miss Saturday's game at Los Angeles. He also will
be out Sunday at Anaheim and Wednesday at Phoenix. He will be
eligible to return Nov. 22 against Dallas.
This suspension comes one week after St. Louis Blues forward Doug Weight
was suspended for four games after his cross-check to the head of
Vancouver wing Henrik Sedin. Weight is eligible to return
Wednesday.
"It's a little frustrating, because things were going really
good for our team and I was playing hockey the way I should play,"
said Tkachuk, who had the game-winning goal three times during the
four-game winning streak the Blues took into Saturday afternoon's
game at Los Angeles. "And with Dougie out, it's just bad timing
and it obviously hurts."
Director of hockey operations Colin Campbell said Tkachuk used
his stick in a "dangerous and inappropriate manner."
"Within nine months, this player has forfeited nearly $1
million in salary as a consequence of his illegal actions with the
stick," Campbell said.
Tkachuk's suspension was his third in 20 months, resulting in a
combined eight games missed and $896,441 in lost salary -- including
the $365,853 this one cost him. He also was docked $487,804 in
salary during a four-game suspension in February 2003 for
cross-checking Minnesota's Wes Walz in the head with his stick, and
$42,784 in March 2002 for slashing Chicago's Lyle Odelein. The
league considers Tkachuk as a repeat offender.
"I don't think I'm a marked man," Tkachuk said. "I mean, I go
out and play hard and I play emotional every game. I take a lot of
abuse, and obviously I'm in the middle of a lot of things, so
things happen. But I think we have the greatest referees in the
world, and they're put in a tough situation."
Tkachuk also will be out Sunday at Anaheim and Wednesday at
Phoenix. He will be eligible to return Nov. 22 against Dallas.