AP News
(2008-11-22 18:38:06)
New Jersey Devils defenceman Mike Mottau was slapped with a two game suspension Saturday for an illegal hit on New York Islanders player Frans Nielsen.
Mottau, who was also fined 8,000 dollars of salary, delivered an open-ice check to Denmark's Nielsen early in the third period of New Jersey's 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Friday, sending the centre to the locker room with multiple leg injuries. Nielsen is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks.
The 30-year-old American Mottau was given a minor penalty for elbowing Nielsen before New York's Trent Hunter confronted, sparking a fight.
A seventh-round pick of the New York Rangers in 1997, Mottau has no goals in 19 games this season.
The Devils are the third team for Mottau in his brief NHL career.
Copyright 2008 AFP American Edition
