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Minnesota freshman defenseman Ryan Lindgren has been suspended one game by the Big Ten conference.
Lindgren will miss Friday’s game against Michigan State in East Lansing. The Minneapolis, MN native was assessed a five minute major and given a game misconduct for elbowing Ohio State’s Sam McCormick in the closing seconds of Saturday’s 8-3 blowout loss.
Ryan Lindgren hit Sam McCormick with an elbow after a dump into the zone with 5 sec left, but McCormick seemed fine after. pic.twitter.com/lSpX4IIWUl
— Eric Vegoe (@evegoe) December 4, 2016
He will be eligible to return for next Saturday’s series finale against the Spartans.
Lindgren was not the only player suspended in last weekend’s Minnesota-Ohio State. OSU’s Dakota Joshua sat out Saturday after being suspended one game. Joshua was given supplemental discipline for leading with an elbow during the third period of Minnesota’s 5-3 win Friday.
Prior to the hit, Lindgren had scored his first collegiate goal Saturday. The 18 year-old has 3 points (1G-2A) in 14 games this season. Although the 6’0”, 201 lb defenseman is one of several potential Gophers to make the USA U-20 roster, the suspension will be over by the time the World Juniors begins.
Lindgren is a 2016 2nd round draft pick of the Boston Bruins.
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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation mostly covering both the University of Minnesota and Big Ten. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate