NHL suspends Predators' Ryan Hartman 1 game for check to Soderberg's head

​Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman will take a seat for Friday's Stanley Cup playoff game after the NHL suspended him for an illegal check to the head of Colorado's Carl Soderberg on Wednesday night.

The incident occurred early in the third period of the Predators' 3-2 win to give them a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final.

Skating across the blue-line, Soderberg had just passed the puck to a teammate when Hartman hit him.

The NHL noted Hartman took a poor angle and picked Soderberg's head for the main point of contact and then delivering a hit "with substantial force."

The Predators right-winger, who has been fined once in his 162-game NHL career, was assessed a charging penalty on the play, while Soderberg left the game and didn't return.

Earlier in Wednesday's contest, Hartman attempted to line up Sven Andrighetto from a distance but didn't connect with the Avalanche player, prompting Andrighetto to stick Hartman below the belt.

Hartman, 23, was penalized for holding Andrighetto's stick and roughing, giving him three penalties on the night.