Phoenix Coyotes winger Raffi Torres will be suspended indefinitely by the NHL pending a hearing on Friday regarding his hit on Chicago Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa on Tuesday, according to Sean Gentile of the Sporting News. The Coyotes and Blackhawks play on Thursday, so the suspension will prevent Torres from appearing in Game 4 of the seven-game series.
Torres knocked Hossa unconscious with a vicious hit in the middle of the first period, leading to Hossa being carried off the ice on a stretcher before being taken to the hospital. The Coyote winger, who didn't receive a penalty on the play somehow, has a reputation for being among the dirtiest players in the NHL, so you wonder how the league will put that perception into considering for his punishment.
Given the nature of the hit and his past, though, it seems likely that Torres will be suspended for at least the remainder of the seven-game series between Chicago and Phoenix.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, visit Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey and Coyotes blog Five For Howling. For more NHL Playoffs coverage, head over to SB Nation's NHL news hub.