Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog takes full responsibility for the cross check against Anaheim's Simon Despres in Wednesday's game that caused the NHL Department of Player Safety to hand him a three-game suspension.
Landeskog, who had a hearing Thursday with senior vice president of Player Safety Stephane Quintal, said after practice Friday that he respects the decision and is "embarrassed" for his third-period hit to Despres' head.
"(Quintal) asked me how I saw the situation. I told him there's no excuse," Landeskog said. "It was just a dumb play. It wasn't at all my intention to come in the way I did. Watching the video, there's simply no excuse. It was just a really, really, really dumb play on my part."
Despres fell to the ice, returned to the game and logged 21:35 in playing time.
"I'm just glad he didn't get hurt," Landeskog said. "To be honest, I'm really embarrassed watching the tape, watching it back. There's no excuse for anything like that. That doesn't belong on the ice, or in any hockey game or any hockey league. It was a really dumb play."
Landeskog, who will be eligible to play March 20 in Edmonton, is considered a repeat offender because he served a two-game suspension in November for a hit against Boston's Brad Marchand. He will lose $203,832.75 in salary.
Landeskog said he is upset at himself for having to sit out the next three games with 13 games remaining while the Avalanche compete with Minnesota for the second wild card playoff position in the Western Conference.
"I know the team is going to do great, they'll do fine," said Landeskog, who has 17 goals and 29 assists in 65 games. "That's what pisses me off the most. I'm mad at myself ... it's terrible timing. I'm not happy with myself that this is the case and that I did not take responsibility for my actions enough to think about it and obviously stop what I did.
"There's no excuse, it doesn't belong on the ice, it doesn't belong in any hockey league. Embarrassed for what I did. Got to own up to it. I told the league the same thing, there's no excuses. I'll have to serve this one and make sure I'm ready for the game when I come back.
"It is what it is now. I know the team is going to do fine. They're going to have a good road trip in Winnipeg starting tomorrow. I'm going to make sure I'm in good shape when I come back."
Andreas Martinsen will replace Landeskog at right wing on a line with Shawn Matthias and Carl Soderberg. Martinsen replaced Jack Skille, who was a healthy scratch Wednesday, on the fourth line with Cody McLeod and John Mitchell but scored a late second-period goal when he converted a return pass from Matt Duchene.
"He played so well last game and I was very happy with him," coach Patrick Roy said of the 6-3, 220-pound Martinsen, who hadn't played since Feb. 20 against Edmonton. "He scored a big goal. I thought he had a lot of jump, he was hard to play against. A player like this, when he uses his size to his advantage, it's big for us. Puck protection is a big deal in this game right now."
Landeskog said he hasn't yet reached out to Despres.
"I want to make sure that this thing settles down a little bit and then I will," he said.
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Landeskog accompanied the team to Winnipeg for Saturday's game against the Jets. The Avalanche will return to Denver after the game, take off Sunday and resume practice Monday. They'll play in Vancouver on Wednesday, next Friday in Calgary and end the trip a week from Sunday against the Oilers.
"We just have to move on and focus on our next game, and Landy will focus on his next game against Edmonton," Roy said. "The league has been very clear about head shots (and is) going to protect the players. I'm sure Landy will learn from it.
"I want him to work hard because he's been playing really well for us. I really want to see him working really hard and make sure he's ready for the game against the Oilers. He's our captain, you want him around. I want to see him working really hard in the practices." Said Jarome Iginla: "It's unfortunate for sure, he's a big part of our team, he's a leader on this team. We have to keep going, we have to find ways to win games. Three (games) are going to go quick, it's going to be quick to get him back. In the meantime we have to win games."
The Avalanche are down to 12 forwards and aren't planning to recall anyone from San Antonio. Skille will be back on the fourth line Saturday.
"I just play my game and try to go out there and work hard," Martinsen said. "I felt good (against the Ducks) and I obviously wanted to come back and make sure I was ready when I came back to the lineup and to be skating a lot. That's when I play good, when I skate. Maybe I got some more energy now; I worked hard the last couple of weeks.
"There's a lot of good players here so there's good competition. I just have to show them I'm worthy to keep going. Scoring a goal doesn't hurt, but I think the coaches care more about those little things like winning the battles, being physical and working hard, so that's what I have to keep doing."