Cizikas suspended one game for boarding incident
Casey Cizikas #53 of the Islanders skates against the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena on Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
ST. LOUIS — Casey Cizikas was suspended for one game and was not available for the Islanders’ 6-1 loss to the Blues on Saturday night at Enterprise Center.
The fourth-line center was summoned earlier in the day for a hearing with the NHL Player Safety department after he was called for boarding Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith 20 seconds into the third period of the Islanders’ 2-1 win on Friday.
Smith went directly to the dressing room and did not return.
It’s the first time in Cizikas’ career that he has received supplemental discipline from the league.
Cizikas also forfeited $12,500 to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. He can return to the Islanders’ lineup on Tuesday against the Penguins at UBS Arena.
The Islanders recalled journeyman Andy Andreoff from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport to center the fourth line.
Cizikas has a career-high 46 penalty minutes in 63 games, surpassing his previous high by 10. He has taken eight minor penalties in his last 15 games, including two on Friday.
“I can assure you that he’s not happy about it,” said Matt Martin, Cizikas’ linemate. “We’re usually talking to him on the bench that it’s OK, especially when we kill them off. He doesn’t want to be in there as much as he has.”
The league noted that Cizikas saw “nothing but Smith’s number for some time” before finishing the check.
“It is important to note that while Smith does shift slightly after arriving at the puck, this is not a case of a player turning immediately prior to contact in a way that turns a legal hit into an illegal one,” the NHL ruled.
“With ample time to make a better decision, the onus is on Cizikas to deliver this hit in a legal fashion, avoid it entirely, or minimize the force.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
