NHL notebook: Sharks' Kane gets 3-game suspension

[October 02, 2019]    San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane received an automatic three-game suspension for physical abuse of an official during Sunday night's preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Sharks can appeal the suspension, which would push the decision to commissioner Gary Bettman. San Jose opens the regular season Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

Kane, 28, was involved in a third-period scuffle with Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland when linesman Kiel Murchison entered the picture. Murchison grabbed Kane by the jersey and both fell to the ice. Kane appeared to shove Murchison when he stood up, prompting his ejection and ensuing suspension.

Kane, who led the NHL with 153 penalty minutes last season, called getting tossed "an absolute joke."

--Forward Lee Stempniak announced his retirement from the NHL after 14 seasons and 911 games played for 10 different teams.

Stempniak appeared in just two games with the Boston Bruins last season, playing a total of 7:49, but he played in all 82 games as recently as 2016-17 with the Carolina Hurricanes, when he tallied 16 goals and 24 assists.

The 36-year-old has 203 goals and 266 assists in his career, which began with the St. Louis Blues in 2005, after they took him in the fifth round of the 2003 draft. Stempniak had 130 points in 233 games across three-plus seasons with the Blues, including a career-high 52 points in 2006-07.

--Winnipeg center Bryan Little is under the official concussion protocol and questionable for the Jets' Thursday season opener at the New York Rangers.

The team did not release a timetable for the 31-year-old veteran's recovery.

Little played in all 82 games in each of the past two seasons.

--Minnesota Wild defenseman Greg Pateryn will be sidelined for six weeks after having bilateral core muscle surgery on Tuesday, the team announced.

Pateryn missed most of training camp due to the injury. The surgery was performed in Philadelphia by Dr. William Meyers.

Pateryn, 29, is in his second season with Minnesota. He had one goal and six assists in 80 games last season. His injury opened the door for rookie defender Carson Soucy to make the Wild's season-opening roster.

--Field Level Media

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