Red Wings' Dylan Larkin knocked out on hit; David Perron's reaction lands suspension
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was motionless on the ice and left Saturday night's game against the Ottawa Senators after being hit in the back of the head by forward Mathieu Joseph during a net-front battle.
Red Wings teammate David Perron was suspended for six games for how he reacted to the hit.
Larkin fell into Ottawa's Parker Kelly then went face down on the ice after the Joseph hit at 13:50 of the first period. Red Wings medical personnel called for a stretcher, but Larkin got up and looked unsteady as he was helped to the dressing room by teammates. He didn't return to the game.
Scary play as Dylan Larkin heads to the dressing room following this net front play. pic.twitter.com/FCgFRf6q8v
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 10, 2023
The Red Wings announced Monday that Larkin was going on the injured list with an upper body injury, retroactive to Saturday. He'll miss at least a week but coach Derek Lalonde told reporters there was no timeframe on it and the team would know more in the next couple days.
The play was concerning because Larkin had suffered a neck injury when he was cross-checked by the Dallas Stars' Jamie Benn in April 2021.
"It was a positive that he was able to get up and be helped off the ice rather than on the stretcher," Lalonde said.
David Perron suspended for cross-checking Artem Zub
Joseph and Kelly were called for roughing on Saturday's play, but Perron got a harsher penalty as he cross-checked Senators defenseman Artem Zub, who had fallen on Larkin.
Following the play on Dylan Larkin, David Perron has been assessed a 5-minute match penalty for intent to injure. pic.twitter.com/lMwCKuKVDh
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 10, 2023
Perron received a match penalty, and the NHL's player safety department gave him six games, saying what he did wasn't a hockey play but "an intentional strike with a stick made with the purpose of exacting retribution on an opponent."
The NHL Players' Association has filed an appeal on Perron's behalf.
Detroit's Christian Fischer fought with Joseph early in the third period of the 5-1 Ottawa win.
"It was a tough sight to see," Fischer told reporters. "You never want to see anyone down, especially the leader of your team. It was tough to regroup from. I think we did an OK job of it."
Larkin had been suspended for one game in 2021 for roughing Joseph, who was with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the time. He was retaliating for Joseph's check.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Red Wings' Dylan Larkin on injured list after Mathieu Joseph hit