Capitals’ Mike Green suspended 3 games for head shot on Lightning’s Brett Connolly ()

As expected, Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green earned a suspension for his hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brett Connolly on Thursday night, as Connolly was being checked along the end boards by Green's teammate Dmitry Orlov. It was just a question of how many games; the answer from Brendan Shanahan and the NHL Department of Player Safety: three. From the NHL: NEW YORK (March 9, 2012) -- Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green has been suspended, without pay, for three games for delivering an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brett Connolly during NHL Game #1001 in Washington on Thursday, March 8, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Green will forfeit $85,135.14. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. The incident occurred at 11:03 of the second period. No penalty was assessed on the play. So we have to opposing sets of circumstances here.