Wild's Hartman suspended 1 game for interference on Jets' Ehlers

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman was suspended one game for interfering with Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers during Tuesday's testy showdown, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.

The Wild have one game remaining on their regular-season schedule, so Hartman's ban won't impact his availability for the playoffs.

The incident occurred during the third period of the Wild's 3-1 defeat. Hartman found Kirill Kaprizov with a one-touch pass in the neutral zone and caught Ehlers with a heavy, open-ice hit immediately afterward.

"I have the puck, and I got to brace myself somehow when he's coming at me," Hartman told reporters postgame. "So, it had nothing to do with really much going on. I had the puck, and if I didn't touch the puck, I wouldn't have made an effort to brace myself."

Ehlers didn't return to the contest. Hartman received a two-minute minor for interference.

Jets head coach Rick Bowness said Ehlers was in a "vulnerable position" on the play and that "you hate to see those hits."

Hartman was suspended for one contest during the 2018 playoffs as a member of the Nashville Predators for his hit to the head of Carl Soderberg.