Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane to have hearing for cross-check of Kraken’s Jared McCann

Another Calgary Flames player is staring down the barrel of an early-season suspension.

First, it was Rasmus Andersson getting barred for four games for a late hit on Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine, and now, Andrew Mangiapane could be missing a similar amount of time.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Sunday Mangiapane would have a hearing for a cross-check he laid on Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann Saturday night. The incident happened in the first period, and resulted in Mangiapane getting a match penalty.

McCann had fallen to the ice in the Kraken zone near the feet of Mangiapane to block a shot, which he did, and the puck ended up underneath him. Standing overtop of McCann, Mangiapane leaned down on McCann’s lower-back with his stick, before delivering a cross-check that landed across his upper back, head, and neck.

McCann would remain in the game, but played just 11:19 — his lowest time-on-ice mark of the season, and his fifth lowest among the 165 games he’s plaeyd in Seattle.

As our own Ryan Pike alluded to last night, Jamie Benn was suspended for two playoff games last year against the Vegas Golden Knights for a similar cross-check. Mark Stone laid a hit on Benn, and Stone fell to the ice first, before Benn came down with a cross check to a similar spot as Mangiapane did on McCann.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.