Hayden Hodgson Suspended Two Games for Boarding Brandt Clarke

Ottawa Senators forward Hayden Hodgson has been suspended for two games without pay for boarding Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Friday. The ruling follows the teams’ October 29 game in Los Angeles.

The league’s announcement places the incident at 11:10 of the second period. Hodgson received a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct during the game. The suspension adds two games of discipline to those penalties.

Hodgson will forfeit $8,762.88 in salary. The NHL said that amount was determined under the Collective Bargaining Agreement using his average annual salary. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The decision was announced at 8:35 p.m. EDT Friday, following the department’s earlier notice that Hodgson would have a hearing. The league has now issued its sanction, making the outcome a two-game suspension rather than a pending disciplinary decision.

Los Angeles won Thursday’s game 6–5 in overtime after Ottawa erased a four-goal deficit in the third period. The official game record shows the Kings scoring four times in the second period to take a 5–1 lead into the final regulation period.

The Kings were already ahead 4–1 when Hodgson’s major was assessed. Their final goal of the period came on the power play at 15:43, before the major expired. Los Angeles finished with two power-play goals. Ottawa scored once with the man advantage during its third-period rally.

Ottawa’s four third-period goals forced the extra period, with the tying goal coming at 18:20. Los Angeles then scored at 3:37 of overtime. The Senators’ comeback secured a point from the game. The Kings collected the additional point for winning in overtime, completing a game in which the teams combined for 11 goals. Hodgson’s disciplinary ruling concerns the second-period boarding incident that ended his participation.