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NEW YORK (AP) — Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson’s 20-game suspension for an illegal check to an opponent’s head in a preseason game was upheld by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday.In a 31-page decision announced a week after Wilson’s nearly 7½-hour appeal hearing Authentic Alexander Radulov Jersey , Bettman determined that the initial ruling by the Department of Player Safety on Oct. 3 “was supported by clear and convincing evidence.”The NHL Players’ Association appealed on Wilson’s behalf, arguing that his hit did not break a rule and so there should have been no suspension at all — but that if there were to be one, 20 games was “excessive” and eight would have been more appropriate.The right winger, who plays on the reigning Stanley Cup champions’ top line with Alex Ovechkin, can now appeal to a neutral arbitrator.Wilson was ejected for his hit on St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist in the second period of the teams’ exhibition game on Sept. 30, causing a concussion, cuts to the face and a sprained right shoulder.Wilson’s fourth ban in less than 13 months is costing him nearly a quarter of the 82-game regular season — only five NHL players have been suspended longer for on-ice play — and $1.26 million in salary.The video released earlier this month to explain the punishment says: “Wilson delivers a high, forceful hit, which makes Sundqvist’s head the main point of contact on a hit where such head contact was avoidable and causes an injury.” It also admonishes him for taking “a poor angle of approach.” In the original ruling Womens Ben Bishop Jersey , the league noted that Wilson “is considered a repeat offender” — and, indeed, this is hardly the first time the sixth-year player has been in trouble for the way he has taken out an opponent. He was suspended twice because of preseason hits a year ago, then had to sit out three games during the playoffs for a check to the head that broke Pittsburgh Penguins center Zach Aston-Reese’s jaw and caused a concussion.During its appeal, the NHLPA contested the characterization of Wilson as a repeat offender, saying that a preseason ban should be treated the same as a fine, and that his postseason ban’s duration was “improperly inflated” by “according more weight to the value of the playoff games missed due to a prior suspension.” The union also argued that if the hit was illegal, it was improper “by mere inches.”Bettman ruled that Sundqvist’s head was the main point of contact and that such contact was avoidable on the play.“Head checks are a matter of great concern to the league, our clubs and our players http://www.starsshoponline.com/authentic-brett-ritchie-jersey ,” Bettman wrote.The Capitals see Wilson as a vital part of the franchise, and general manager Brian MacLellan — who testified at the appeal hearing — signed him to a $31 million, six-year contract this offseason.Wilson doubled his career high with 14 goals and set a new mark with 35 points last season, when he was the only NHL forward with 30-plus points and 90-plus penalty minutes, finishing with 187 and a league-high 41 minors. Then he contributed 15 points in 21 games during Washington’s run to its first championship. DETROIT — The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings are both rebuilding but have played well in their past few games.Detroit hosts New York Friday night at Little Caesars Arena at 7:30.The Rangers (7-7-1) have won four straight and the Red Wings (5-8-2) have four victories in their past five games. Also each team won Tuesday night after trailing by two in the second period. New York beat Montreal 5-3 at Madison Square Garden and Detroit defeated Vancouver 3-2 in a shootout at LCA.Article continues below ...The Rangers trailed the Canadiens 3-1 with less than three minutes left in the second, but defenseman Tony De Angelo scored late in the middle period and right winger Pavel Buchnevich, defenseman Neal Pionk and center Mika Zibanejad (short-handed) scored in the third.“They definitely had the momentum … we were able to reset going into the third,” defenseman Marc Staal said.That was also New York’s second consecutive win after winning twice in California. Because of the time difference, teams usually struggle in their first game or two back from a west coast trip. The Rangers won 3-2 in a shootout in Anaheim last Thursday night.“I love how we responded coming back from the trip and we win two hockey games here Dennis Cholowski Jersey Womens ,” Rangers coach David Quinn said. “It says a lot.”Said Staal: “We’re on a bit of a roll. With wins comes confidence, finishing games.”The Red Wings trailed the Canucks 2-0 in the second period on Tuesday night. Forward Justin Abdelkader’s power-play goal in the second made it 2-1 and Gustav Nyquist’s tied it early in the third period. Center Dylan Larkin scored the only goal of the shootout.“I think part of resilient is guys stepping and making plays at big moments,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “And for a goaltender, it’s just making a whole bunch of saves and I thought Howie (goalie Jimmy Howard) was a big difference that way.”Howard made 40 saves against Vancouver and stopped all three shooters in the shootout.The Red Wings seem like a totally different team than the one that began the season 1-7-2.“Well … we’re bending not breaking I guess,” Howard said. “Early in the season when stuff started to go wrong the body language was off and things really exploded on us and now guys are continuing to keep working.”Detroit is expected to get two forwards back from injury on Friday. Andreas Athanasiou (leg) and center Frans Nielsen (concussion) are expected to return after they each missed four games.Larkin practiced Thursday after missing practice on Wednesday to recover from a minor injury suffered late in Tuesday night’s game. He will play on Friday night.It will be the second NHL game this season for Rangers center Lias Andersson, the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. Andersson was recalled from Hartford for the game Tuesday against Montreal and played 12:17 on a line between Jimmy Vesey and Jesper Fast.New York assigned forward Boo Nieves to Hartford of the American Hockey League on Thursday.