Garnet Hathaway to have hearing Wednesday for spitting incident

Washington Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway will take part in a hearing with the NHL Wednesday morning regarding punishment for spitting on Anaheim Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson in Monday’s game.

Hathaway told reporters Tuesday that he had yet to hear about further punishment for the incident, for which he was ejected from the game. But Colin Campbell, the NHL’s executive vice president and director of hockey operations, told reporters at GM meetings in Toronto that a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Toward the end of a brawl that erupted late in the second period of Washington’s win over Anaheim Monday, Gudbranson snuck in a late punch and Hathaway retaliated by spitting at him. Hathaway was given a match penalty for the act, which carries an automatic suspension pending league review.

The Capitals play the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden tomorrow, but it’s unknown whether Hathaway’s hearing will take place in person at the league’s New York office.

Coach Todd Reirden said the team is preparing to make some roster moves to account for a potential Hathaway suspension.

Hathaway said he hadn’t considered the possibility of a suspension, but expressed regret for spitting, saying after Monday’s game there was no place in the game for it.

“It was an emotional play by me,” Hathaway said. “You don’t plan any of that stuff in your head and it was a quick reaction and unfortunately the wrong one for me after a sucker punch.”