Zetterberg won't be suspended for boarding call

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Henrik Zetterberg has faced all the punishment he'll endure for his hit on Nikita Nikitin.

The Red Wings confirmed to WXYZ Detroit Sunday afternoon the center will not be suspended for his hit on the Blue Jackets defenseman.

Zetterberg was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding during the third period of Detroit's sixteenth consecutive home win Saturday night.

After leaving the game with an injured knee, Nikitin is reported to miss at least a pair of games.

The major penalty was the first of Zetterberg's career.

He told reporters after the game: "I don’t think I pushed him hard. He went down. It looked bad. It looks really bad.

The nine-year veteran has never had more than 40 penalty minutes in a single season. The hit was a bit uncharacteristic, but Zetterberg understood the repurcussion.

"I can’t blame the referee for giving me five minutes."

The Red Wings host St. Louis at 7:30 Monday night.