Colorado Avalanche Rookie Matt Stienburg Suspended for Risky Hit on Erik Cernak

Thursday, October 31st, 2024

Matt Stienburg, a rookie for the Colorado Avalanche, received a two-game suspension for charging Tampa Bay Lightning's Erik Cernak during a game on Wednesday, which ended in a loss for the Avalanche.

The NHL Department of Player Safety evaluated the incident and found Stienburg's hit on Cernak to be unnecessary and dangerous. Stienburg propelled himself into Cernak after he had released the puck, hitting his head and resulting in a major penalty and a game misconduct call. Consequently, Cernak was unable to continue playing in the game.

An official from player safety described the hit as unnecessary and noted significant contact with Cernak's head. Stienburg, a third-round draft pick in 2019, has recorded no points, 16 hits, and 22 penalty minutes over eight NHL games this season.

Due to this suspension, Stienburg will not participate in Colorado's upcoming matches against Nashville and Seattle. Prior to joining the NHL, he spent three seasons playing for Cornell and scored 13 points while accumulating 63 penalty minutes with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL last year.

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