Russia will be without forward Nikita Rtishev for one game after it was announced that he has been suspended for head butting USA's Oliver Wahlstrom.
The incident occurred at the end of the second period of Sunday's Russia-USA game. Wahlstrom and Russian forward Maxim Sorkin were pushing each other around after the play had ended, Rtishev skated over and grabbed Wahlstrom's shoulder and pushed him up against the boards while officials made an attempt to separate them. The officials were successful at separating the two players for a moment, but they confronted each other again, going face-to-face, it was here where Rtishev made a forward motion with his head, striking Wahlstrom in the face, and causing his helmet to lift up off his head.
USA would go on to win the game by a score of 3-1 and moved up to first place in Group B with a 2-0-0-1 record.
Rtishev is eligible to return for Russia's first game after the preliminary round comes to a close.
In three WJC games, Rtishev has one goal.
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