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Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry has been suspended four games by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, the league announced on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Rob Blake, Perry had time to avoid the hit or limit the amount of force he extended towards Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker. In the department's collective opinion, Zucker should not have had to worry about sustaining the hit because enough time had passed between his last touching the puck.
Blake states that Perry recklessly made contact to the head of a player who was not eligible to be hit.
In summarizing the event, Blake explains that:
* Perry committed a late, illegal check
* Zucker was injured on the play
* Perry had been suspended in the past (four years ago).
This resulted in Perry's four-game suspension.
This is the ninth suspension of the 2013 season. It is the second-longest and the third consecutive of four-games or more.