Ducks’ May is suspended for three games

The NHL suspended Ducks winger Brad May for the next three playoff games for punching Minnesota Wild defenseman Kim Johnsson in the face near the end of Game 4 in the Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Colin Campbell, the NHL’s chief disciplinarian, announced his ruling Wednesday night after conducting a 3 p.m. conference call to review the incident. Participating in the call were May, Brian Burke, the Ducks’ general manager, and a players’ union representative.

May’s suspension will begin with tonight’s Game 5 at the Honda Center.

“We respect the process and the league’s decision but we also continue to support Brad May as an important player and leader on our team,” Burke said.

The Ducks made a deal to acquire the veteran winger at the Feb. 27 trade deadline.

The incident took place with 1 minute 48 seconds left in the Wild’s 4-1 victory. Johnsson was heading toward a skirmish involving the Ducks’ Kent Huskins and Shawn Thornton and the Wild’s Adam Hall. May intercepted Johnsson and swung at the defenseman after dropping his gloves. The punch left Johnsson with an unspecified head injury, one that will keep him out of the lineup, according to General Manager Doug Risebrough.

Wild officials said Johnsson remained in Minnesota after spending Tuesday night at a local hospital. It was not yet known if Johnsson would return should there be a Game 6.

According to a source, May missed practice Wednesday to have his right hand checked for a possible injury. Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle would only confirm that May visited a doctor.

May, whose punch brought him a match penalty and a game misconduct, was suspended 20 games in 2000 for a stick-swinging incident when he was a member of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Risebrough called May a “repeat offender.”

When asked if the incident could have been avoided, he said, “It would have been avoided if May wasn’t on the ice.”

eric.stephens@latimes.com