Spezza’s suspension reduced to four games

Jason Spezza’s suspension has been reduced from six to four games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forward is eligible to return Saturday, when the Leafs play at Vancouver.

The suspension was the result of his knee to Winnipeg Jets defenceman Neal Pionk on Dec. 5.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman heard Spezza’s appeal of the original decision at a hearing on Tuesday, and upheld the suspension but with the two-game deduction.

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Pionk was also slapped with a two-game suspension for kneeing Toronto defenceman Rasmus Sandin in the same game.

Spezza hit Pionk, who’d lost his stick, about 90 seconds later.

The ruling stated that as Spezza prepared to make contact, he “shifted his weight to his right leg, lifted his left leg off the ice, leaned in with his left knee in front of him and drove his knee into Mr. Pionk’s head.”

Pionk played the remainder of the game but was subsequently diagnosed with a concussion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2021.