Jets' Neal Pionk suspended for knee-on-knee hit; Leafs' Jason Spezza offered hearing for retaliatory hit

NEW YORK (AP) — Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk was suspended for two games Monday for a knee-on-knee hit on the Toronto Maple Leafs' Rasmus Sandin during the third period Sunday.

After the hit on Sandin, Maple Leafs center Jason Spezza drove his left knee into the face of Pionk, who was without his stick and on his knees trying to clear a puck. Spezza has been offered an in-person hearing with the NHL, and likely will be suspended.

In-person hearings are required for any suspension that has the potential to be at least six games. Spezza's hearing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, the league said.

Sandin skated off the ice after the knee-on-knee hit on his right knee. He could miss two to three weeks, TSN reported.

Here's the hit by Spezza on Pionk.

Also, the league fined Toronto’s Wayne Simmonds $2,250, the maximum allowed under the CBA, for cross-checking Winnipeg’s Jansen Harkins in the game.

The Jets won Sunday’s game 6-3.