Los Angeles Kings striker Brendan Lemieux gets five-game suspension by NHL for biting incident

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Kings front Brendan Lemieux was suspended for 5 games for biting Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk last weekend.

The NHL announced the disciplinary action Tuesday night against Lemieux, who will lose $38,750 in wages during the period of suspension. The league posted the video and announcement on the NHL Player Safety page on Twitter.

The bite occurred late into the third inning of the Kings’ 4-2 win last Saturday at Staples Center. Lemieux was lying face down on the ice and grappling with Tkachuk and a paved road when he bit Tkachuk in the right hand.

Lemieux received a punishment for his actions. Afterward, Tkachuk was furious, calling Lemieux’s actions “the dumbest thing anyone could do.”

“The kids don’t even do it anymore. The kids do it,” Tkachuk added. “I don’t even know what he’s thinking. He’s just a completely brick head. He’s got nothing on it. Bad guy, bad guy, but he’s a joke.”

25-year-old Lemieux is the son of the notorious NHL agitator, born in the US Claude Lemieux, while Tkachuk is the son of a veteran NHL Keith Tkachuk, who scored 2,219 minutes of penalties in his two-decade career.

Brendan Lemieux joined the kings last March in a deal with New York Ranger. He’s got four goals, one assist and 32 penalties – 14 against the Senators – in 14 games this season for LA.

The kings organized Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

It’s been a tough race for the Senators, and this breakdown that entails is something a young team simply has to overcome. Ottawa came in last place in the Atlantic Division with a score of 4-14-1.

“We’re not going to look back or be negative about anything,” the Senators coach DJ Smith said on Tuesday. “We will be positive about things going forward.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.