Leafs’ Bunting suspended 3 games for G1 check
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head and interference against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak. The discipline was announced on Wednesday following a hearing for Bunting with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety earlier in the day.
Bunting will sit out Games 2, 3 and 4 of Toronto’s first-round playoff series against the Lightning. He’s eligible to return for Game 5 — if necessary — next Thursday. The Leafs trail Tampa Bay 1-0 after losing 7-3 in Tuesday’s Game 1 of the series.
The incident between Bunting and Cernak occurred late in the second period on Tuesday when Bunting threw an elbow to Cernak’s head. Cernak was down on the ice for several minutes being attended to by trainers before they helped him to the Lightning dressing room. Bunting was assessed a match penalty for the play and left the game.
“First, the head is clearly the main point of contact,” the DoPS said in a video breaking down its decision, “And it is the head that absorbs nearly all of the contact on this play. Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable. Bunting unnecessarily extends his body upward into Cernak’s head to deliver this check. It is also important to note this is also interference. Cernak is never in possession of the puck in this sequence and therefore should have no reason to expect to be checked.”
Cernak did not return to Game 1 and has been ruled out for Thursday’s Game 2 as well. The veteran defenseman plays a key role on Tampa Bay’s blueline, clocking 19:14 time on ice per game in the regular season.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after Game 1 he trusted the NHL to make the right call.
“I will give you the company line: The league will look at that. To me, it seems to check a whole bunch of boxes [to warrant supplemental discipline],” Cooper said.
Bunting led the Leafs in regular-season penalty minutes (103) and had vowed to conduct himself more carefully during the playoffs to avoid putting Toronto at a disadvantage. Now, the Leafs will have to adjust without a top-six winger for a sizable portion of their postseason series.
At Wednesday’s practice — which Bunting attended — Toronto’s coach Sheldon Keefe slotted Calle Jarnkrok into Bunting’s former spot with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
On Tampa Bay’s side, defenseman Victor Hedman — who left Game 1 after the first period with an undisclosed issue — is possible to return for Game 2. Tanner Jeannot (right leg) also participated in the team’s Wednesday practice and could return Thursday following a three-game absence.
The San Diego Padres placed right-hander Michael King on the 15-day injured list Thursday because of left knee inflammation.
King (4-2, 2.81 ERA) had just come off the IL on Saturday, allowing two runs in as many innings of a no-decision against the Boston Red Sox.
It was his first start since May 18 as he dealt with shoulder inflammation.
Now, he’s back on the IL with a knee issue in a move retroactive to Monday.
It’s a setback for a red-hot Padres team, who will carry a five-game winning streak into a weekend showdown against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. First-place San Diego is one game ahead of L.A. in the NL West.
King had been scheduled to start the series opener Friday.
In the corresponding roster move, the Padres recalled right-hander Randy Vásquez from Triple-A El Paso.
While the Milwaukee Brewers keep on rolling, another Wisconsin business is stocking up on beef and buns.
For the third time in its history, George Webb Restaurants will make good on its promise of giving away free hamburgers as part of a longstanding promotion to celebrate the Brewers winning 12 consecutive games.
The free burger giveaway will be held Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT at all 23 of the restaurant’s locations throughout Wisconsin. Vouchers for a burger at a later date will be available at all locations starting Friday.
“Hungry fans are welcome to stop by any location for a free, juicy burger and some camaraderie with fellow baseball fans,” the restaurant said on its website.
Starting way back in the 1940s, when Milwaukee was home to the minor league Brewers of the old American Association, George Webb promised free burgers if the local baseball team won 17 consecutive games.
The promotion dropped to 13 games by the time the Braves made Milwaukee a big league city in 1953, but that franchise couldn’t make it happen before departing for Atlanta in 1966.
George Webb changed the promotion to 12 games when the Brewers moved from Seattle in 1970. In 1987, the Brewers opened the season with 13 wins in a row, and more than 170,000 burgers were given away to mark the occasion.
The Brewers accomplished the feat a second time in 2018, closing the regular season with eight victories followed by four playoff wins. That streak led to 90,000 free burgers being given away in addition to 100,000 redeemable vouchers.
Prior to reaching the magic mark on Wednesday, the Brewers had come close on a few occasions, including an 11-game winning streak earlier this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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