Edmonton Oilers' Andy Sutton and Colorado Avalanche's Shane O'Brien fight during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Friday.Barry Gutierrez/The Associated Press
Oilers defenceman Andy Sutton has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL for his hit on Carolina Hurricanes forward Alexei Ponikarovsky.
The incident occurred in the third period of Edmonton's 5-3 loss to the visiting Hurricanes on Wednesday night.
Sutton has been offered the option of an in-person hearing with the league, the NHL said Thursday in a statement on its website.
He was suspended for five games earlier this season for a hit to the head of Colorado's Gabriel Landeskog during an Oct. 28 game in Denver.
Sutton, a six-foot-six 245-pounder, has three points and 50 penalty minutes in 16 games this season.