CHICAGO -- Blackhawks forward Daniel Carcillo was suspended six games by the NHL on Monday for crosschecking Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault.
The incident occurred Friday when Carcillo skated up to Perreault from behind, cross checked him in a downward motion and connected his stick to Perreault's left arm in the final seconds of the second period. Perreault left the ice and did not return, and he did not play for the Jets on Sunday.
The league's department of player safety said it took into account the incident and Carcillo's disciplinary history in determining the length of suspension. Carcillo will forfeit six games' worth of salary, or $40,243.92. Carcillo has been suspended or fined 11 previous times in his nine NHL seasons.
Carcillo said Saturday that his intent was not to injure Perreault and that he hoped the Jets player would be OK.
"I was just trying to knock him off, you know?" Carcillo said. "I didn't think it was very, like, malicious or anything. It was just kind of a hockey play and it was at the end of a shift. I must have just caught him between some padding. I've been hit there before, too. You know it hurts."
Carcillo has four goals and three assists and has averaged 8:17 of ice time in 31 games this season. He signed a one-year deal with the Blackhawks in October.
Perreault is expected to miss at least one more game, Jets coach Paul Maurice said.