orida Panthers right wing Krys BarchThe Associated Press
Florida Panthers forward Krys Barch has been suspended for one game by the NHL because of an inappropriate comment to Montreal's P.K. Subban during the game on Saturday night.
Barch will sit out Thursday night's game against the Rangers in New York.
Barch made the comment at the end of the first period of the Panthers' 3-2 win on New Year's Eve and was ejected. The Miami Herald reported a linesman said he heard Barch direct a racial slur toward Subban, who is black.
NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell says Barch "has admitted making the remark, but denies that the comment was racially motivated."
Campbell says Barch must be held accountable for the comment, which was "offensive and unacceptable."