NY Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller suspended three games for spitting incident

New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller will be suspended for the next three games, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.

The discipline stems from an unsportsmanlike conduct match penalty during the first period of Sunday's 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. It was assessed after he was caught spitting on defenseman Drew Doughty.

After the game, Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said that Miller "feels bad about it. He said it was an accident."

The 23-year-old sought out Doughty that night at Madison Square Garden to apologize, which a person with knowledge of the situation told lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, led to "a good conversation" between the two players.

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On Monday, Miller tweeted the following statement:

"I wanted to take a moment to address what occurred in last night's game. I have all the respect in the world for Drew Doughty and what happened was completely accidental. I would never intend to do something like that on purpose, it goes against everything I am as a person and player. I felt awful about it and am thankful Drew gave me the opportunity to apologize and explain myself in person after the game."

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Despite Miller's remorse and the apparent peace-making chat with Doughty, the league proceeded with its three-game suspension.

It followed past precedent, with former Washington Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway also receiving three games for spitting on then-Anaheim Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson in 2019.

Miller's agent, Ian Pulver, has yet to respond to an inquiry about whether his client plans to appeal.

Any suspension won't interrupt the Rangers' plans to complete their trade for Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane. Multiple sources have confirmed that the deal will become official some time after 5 p.m. Tuesday.

That will leave New York with a 21-man roster. Miller's expected absence would drop their available players to a league minimum of 20, but that would not prohibit the trade.

The question is whether they'll have 20 usable bodies for Wednesday's 7 p.m. game in Philadelphia. Defenseman Ryan Lindgren did not practice Tuesday due to an upper-body injury, with Gallant vague about whether he'll be available against the Flyers.

"I don't want to say for sure," he said. "He's day-to-day."

If Lindgren cannot play, the Rangers may have to roll with five defensemen in Philly.

Braden Schneider, who was reassigned to AHL Hartford on Sunday night to clear salary cap space for Kane, is expected to be recalled prior to the game.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY Rangers' K'Andre Miller suspended three games for spitting