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NHL hands down hefty discipline to Charlie McAvoy for slash on Sabres forward
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- NHL hands down hefty discipline to Charlie McAvoy for slash on Sabres forward
The NHL came down hard on Charlie McAvoy with a six-game suspension to start the 2026-27 regular season for his slash on Sabres forward Zach Benson .
The Bruins defenseman appeared to be on the receiving end of a slew-foot from Benson in the final minutes of Game 6. The official signaled he was going to call a tripping penalty, but McAvoy had enough .
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He got up, charged Benson, swung his stick at him and connected with the slash. McAvoy was given a 5-minute major and a game-misconduct minutes before Buffalo earned a Game 6 victory and eliminated Boston .
"I didn't give it too much thought at all. I was caught up in the end of the season and losing. That was more where my focus was," McAvoy said.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff chalked up McAvoy's reaction to being emotional considering he and the Bruins were minutes away from elimination.
"I'm just going to say raw emotion," Ruff said. "Charlie's a hell of a player. Cares about winning. Anybody would want Charlie on his team. Probably went a little too far though."
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This will mark McAvoy's third suspension of his career. In 2019, a hit to the head to Josh Anderson cost him Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. In 2023, McAvoy was suspended for four games for a hit to the head of Oliver Ekman-Larsson .
McAvoy can appeal the suspension.
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