HELSINKI – The IIHF Disciplinary Panel has suspended Switzerland’s defenceman Goran Bezina for two games following his checking to the head and neck area on France forward Anthony Guttig.

The incident occurred at 15:21 of the third period in Switzerland’s preliminary round game against France on Saturday.

Goran Bezina received a match penalty for his hit that caught Guttig in a vulnerable position and resulted in an injury. He suffered a concussion on the play. A match penalty leads to an automatic one-game suspension.

Upon review of the incident, based on video review and statements from the involved parties Bezina received a further one-game suspension and will sit out Switzerland’s two remaining games in the preliminary round, against Team USA and Slovakia.