Kings’ Nicholls Gets Five-Game Suspension for Swinging Stick

Bernie Nicholls of the Kings was suspended for five games Friday by the National Hockey League for swinging his stick at the head of Ulf Samuelsson of the Hartford Whalers Wednesday night in a game at Hartford, Conn.

In a statement released by the NHL, Executive Vice President Brian O’Neill said that Nicholls acknowledged in a hearing Friday in Montreal that he had swung at Samuelsson in retaliation for a check administered by Samuelsson.

“While he has not had a previous record of flagrant stick fouls and did not intend to injure Samuelsson, he is accountable for his actions,” O’Neill, said of Nicholls.

After striking Samuelsson on the right shoulder and grazing Samuelsson’s right ear with his stick, Nicholls was ejected by referee Terry Gregson with 8:23 left in the first period of a 5-4 Whaler victory.

“He hit me in the back of the head and I turned around and whacked him,” Nicholls said later.

The Kings said they will take advantage of the seven-day appeal period, so the suspension would go into effect next Friday if the suspension is not overturned.

Nicholls, who will play Sunday night against the St. Louis Blues and Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks, would return for the Kings’ final two games of the regular season after serving the suspension.

He is the 10th NHL player suspended this season for a stick-swinging incident.