- Editor's Note: Sheng Peng will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
Tomáš Hertl addressed his suspension on Tuesday afternoon.
Hertl took responsibility for his retaliatory high stick in the area of Elias Lindholm’s head on Sunday night, which drew both a two-minute high sticking call in the Sharks’ 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames and a two-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety the following day.
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SIGN UP HERE That said, the Sharks’ alternate captain was surprised to be suspended for two games and offered his thoughts on why. He also addressed the Lindholm cross-checks that got him riled up.
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Tomas Hertl, on if he was surprised to be suspended two games:
"Honestly, I was…When I got to the hearing [the] next day, I looked at it more," Hertl said. "I didn’t hurt anybody or anything, [but] the stick was higher than I wanted. After two cross-checks I wanted to just [defend] myself, but I was just in a bad position.
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"But honestly, I was so surprised I got two games. I have no history, nothing else. I saw a couple of hits, Kuznetsov’s earlier this year, he got one game. So I was like I’ll probably get one game."