Duncan Keith Apologized to Charlie Coyle for Hitting Him in Face with Stick

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith received a six-game suspension for hitting Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle in the face with his stick on Tuesday, and now it appears he regrets his actions.

Keith reportedly called Coyle on Saturday to apologize for the incident that left the center bloodied, per Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago.

"I talked to him. Apologized," Keith said. "I called and left a message and he called me back, so I was appreciative of that."

While it doesn't erase what happened, it's certainly a good step in everyone trying to put the incident behind them. Keith will not appeal the suspension that will end after the Blackhawks' first playoff game, per Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune.

The suspension could leave Keith rusty as he heads into the playoffs, but there are some players around the league who think the penalty was not harsh enough, per Arash Madani of Sportsnet:

Those thoughts could have something to do with the fact Keith has been suspended twice in the past for similar conduct. He lost a game in the 2013 Western Conference Final for a high stick and five more in 2012 for an errant elbow hit.

However, the play alone was a dangerous one and could have been truly devastating for Coyle, who in the end only suffered a "black eye and stitches on his nose," per Chad Graff of the Pioneer Press, but he did say he was "stunned" by what happened. 

There are most likely other players who feel it was not long enough, but in the end, he will be playing come Game 2 of the first round for Chicago. However, there is no doubt officials will be keeping a close eye on Keith, and if he does anything like this again, the penalty will be much more severe.