Avalanche rookie Matthew Stienburg suspended for two games and reassigned to AHL

Colorado Avalanche rookie forward Matthew Stienburg has been suspended for two games for charging Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Černák. The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced the suspension following a major penalty and game misconduct issued during the game. After the suspension, the Avalanche reassigned Stienburg to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. This decision comes as the team faces a shortage of healthy forwards, with several players currently injured. Stienburg has been a physical presence on the team, ranking seventh in hits despite limited NHL experience. He leads the team in penalty minutes due to the incident. The Avalanche will need to rely on their depth for an upcoming game against the Nashville Predators.