Suspensions Looming? Strong consensus on Kunitz; Uncertainity on Downie

Chris Kunitz phone hearing is complete with league officials and there continues to be a strong consensus that Kunitz will get at least a one game suspension for his elbow on Simon Gagne.

Kunitz and the Penguins are expected to contest that the elbow was unintentional.

A team source I spoke with is expecting a ruiling by early Tuesday afternoon.

With Kunitz having a phone hearing, he will receive a suspension of 4 games or less, if anything. Anything over two games would be overboard.

Meanwhile, Steve Downie's phone hearing with league officials is set for 11:00 a.m.

There's appears to be more uncertainty regarding Downie's hit on Ben Lovejoy.

Where Downie could get in trouble with the league is how he left his feet. It was a wreckless hit from that standpoint.

Ben Lovejoy after the game said it was a clean hit and Downie hit him in the chest.

It will be interesting if Downie gets the benefit of the doubt due to Lovejoy putting himself in that situation.

Lovejoy got caught with his head down and growing a concern with these hits is how so many defensemen have bad fundamentals and D-Men getting caught with their head down and taking bad angles when going to receive a puck in the corners or behind the net is something that's become common with "Today's Player".