Hearing Monday for Daigneault

The hearing on J.J. Daigneault’s appeal of his 10-game NHL suspension for abuse of an official has been set for Monday in New York.

“In my mind, it’s a misunderstanding,” said Daigneault, penalized under a rule that calls for an automatic 10-game suspension if a player “deliberately applies physical force to an official . . . without intent to injure.”

“I never struck the ref intentionally,” he said. “I never have, and I never will.”

Daigneault--who cannot play while his appeal is pending--contends he thought referee Don Koharski was a Vancouver player when he swung his stick and hit him after they collided during Sunday’s game.

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The Ducks had 1,450 games of NHL experience in the press box in Daigneault and injured defensemen Dave Karpa and Ken Baumgartner. The six defensemen on the ice combined for only 975. . . . Karpa’s broken hand is healing properly, doctors told him, and he hopes to return as soon as next Friday. Baumgartner is scheduled to have the cast removed from his hand Monday.