NEW YORK — New York Islanders forward Maxim Tsyplakov was suspended for three games without pay on Friday for an illegal check to the head of Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Poehling. Poehling left the game Thursday night in the first period with an upper-body injury and didn’t return.

On Friday, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced it has suspended New York Islanders forward Max Tsyplakov for three games for his illegal check to the head of Flyers forward Ryan Poehling on Thursday night. The third game of his suspension is a rematch between the Flyers and Islanders at UBS Arena.

Islanders rookie Maxim Tsyplakov had a target on his back after delivering a hard shoulder check on Poehling, who left the game.