TAMPA, Fla., June 2 (UPI) -- The NHL Wednesday suspended Calgary left wing Ville Nieminen for one game of the deadlocked Stanley Cup finals for a hit on Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier.
Nieminen was given a major penalty and a game misconduct after slamming Lecavalier head-first into the boards in the third period of the Lightning's 1-0 win Monday.
The Flames will be without Nieminen when the series, tied at two games apiece, resumes Thursday in the Lightning's arena.
Nieminen will be eligible to play in the sixth game of the series, scheduled Saturday in Calgary.
"This hit was more severe than any of the other plays that were brought to our attention during the final," said Colin Campbell, the league's director of hockey operations. "This was a hit that clearly crossed the line and was directed at the head."
Nieminen also was suspended one game during the Western Conference semifinals for crashing into Detroit goaltender Curtis Joseph.
