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Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri suspended for hit on Tommy Wingels

FILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo, Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) shoves Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri (43) to retaliate for his late hit on Boston Bruins center Tommy Wingels (57), bottom left, as Maple Leafs center Mitchell Marner (16) starts to get up during the third period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series, in Boston. Through the first two days of the Stanley Cup playoffs, there have already been a handful of hits to the head, two ejections, one suspension and the possibility of more to come. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri was suspended for three games Friday for his hit on Bruins forward Tommy Wingels in the first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The NHL Department of Player Safety Twitter account announced Kadri would have a hearing about the hit on Friday, and the announcement came after a long delay on Friday night.

The original hit came after Wingels delivered a high hit on Kadri's teammate, Mitch Marner. Kadri drove Wingels' head into the boards, taking the Bruins forward out of action for the rest of the game. The Maple Leafs forward was given a five-minute charging major and a game misconduct for the hit.

Kadri defended the hit after the game, saying that hitting Wingels on the ground wasn't his original plan.

''I certainly wasn't trying to hit him when he was down like that," Kadri said. ''I was already committed to the hit. If he's still standing up, there's nothing wrong with that.''

Kadri has been suspended three times over his nine-year career for hits to the head, with a three-game suspension in 2013, a four-game suspension in 2015 and another four-game suspension in 2016.

The Bruins won the first game of the series 5-1, and will play Game 2 in Boston Saturday at 8 p.m.

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