BUFFALO – Though he understood the need to protect goaltenders, Nazem Kadri said he was a little surprised to receive a three-game suspension for his collision with Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom. "I didnt quite realize the length was going to be something like this," said Kadri from First Niagara Center in Buffalo on Friday morning. "I maybe thought a fine or a game or two [games] max." Kadri wont be eligible to return until Nov. 21 against Nashville, further hampering the Leafs situation at centre ice. Already forced to move James van Riemsdyk to the middle with Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland both out, the suspension to Kadri could not come at a more precarious time. "Id have to say this is a new one," Randy Carlyle said with a nervous laugh ahead of a home-and-home set with the Sabres. "You have plan A, B, C and D in the drawer and I think were at E and F right now." Those plans will include 28-year-old Trevor Smith, who rejoined the Leafs from the Marlies following a game in Cleveland on Thursday night. Smith, the Marlies captain, has 12 points in seven AHL games, but had been plugged exclusively on a fourth line in previous stints with the club. "We cant expect Trevor Smith to come up at put him on our fourth line," said Carlyle. "Its unfair to him in this situation. When we had other people ahead of him, we had Bozak, we had Bolland, its a little bit different, but in tonights situation hes going to play a prominent role in an offensive line." Smith joins an unlikely group at centre that includes van Riemsdyk, Jay McClement and Jerred Smithson, who was just inked by the organization to an NHL contract last week. Among the leagues most potent groups at even-strength last season, the Leafs have struggled at times to generate offence this season. Over the past four games – three losses – theyve managed just one even-strength goal, a Joffrey Lupul marker in a 3-1 loss to Boston. Second on the team with 14 points, Kadris absence wont help to address the deficiency. "Thats really the most disappointing part is knowing that were short some guys and really I cant do anything to help, but just play the waiting game right now," Kadri said. Kadri had just deflected a shot on goal from Lupul early in the first period Wednesday night before he forcefully bumped a startled Backstrom with arms extended in the Minnesota crease. Later ejected for a thunderous neutral zone hit on Mikael Granlund, the 23-year-old called the collision with Backstrom accidental, but understood the NHLs recent mandate to increase protection for goaltenders. "I was just trying to go to the net hard to make a play and just ran out of real estate and accidentally bumped into him," said Kadri, who had a hearing with NHL Senior VP of player safety Brendan Shanahan on Thursday afternoon. It was here in Buffalo that an increased mandate for such protection started. Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller was bowled over by Bruins forward Milan Lucic in 2011, leading NHL general managers to request that Shanahan take further action. "I think the temperature of that has changed over the last two years," said Carlyle, acknowledging the role of general managers and ownership around the league. Backstrom was concussed as a result of the incident with Kadri, driving the decision toward a three-game sit-down. "Its definitely understandable," said Kadri, professing hope that Backstrom was okay. "I know theyve kind of cracked down on the interference with the goaltenders and players [have] got to be aware of their surroundings now. That being said, it was unintentional." Baltimore Orioles Shirts . PETERSBURG, Fla. Orioles Jerseys China . -- Mixed martial arts fighter Cristiane Justino Santos has been suspended and fined for testing positive for steroids. https://www.cheaporioles.com/ .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next. Cheap Orioles Jerseys .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage. Orioles Jerseys 2020 . -- Darrelle Revis says at least 26 teams called after he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Rising Pune Supergiants ended a four-game IPL losing streak by recording a comprehensive win over Sunrisers Hyderabad by 34 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method. After rain delayed the start by an hour, it was the Pune bowlers who did the damage as they restricted Hyderabad to just 118-8 in their 20 overs, Ashok Dinda claiming 3-23 in his first IPL match of the season.Pune had reached 94-3 after 11 overs in reply and were well on course for victory before the rain came down again, Steve Smith having top-scored with 46 not out.With time running out to complete the match, the decision was made to call it off and award the Supergiants a first win since the first game of the season.Hyderabad suffered a sizeable early blow as Dinda had the in-form David Warner caught at backward point for a duck in the first over.Dinda, playing his first IPL game of the season, picked up his second wicket when Aditya Tare (8) played loosely outside his off stump and looped a simple catch to Thisara Perera at cover. Ashok Dinda took 3-23 for the Rising Pune Supergiants Eoin Morgan joined Shikhar Dhawan in the middle but he lasted just two balls before nicking behind off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh as Hyderabad limped to 27-3 at the end of the powerplay.That became 29-4 as Ravichandran Ashwin (1-14) picked up a wicket with his first ball, Deepak Hooda (1) gloving a reverse sweep, allowing MS Dhoni to dive forward and take the catch before Marsh (2-14) had Moises Henriques caught behind down the legside in the following over.ddddddddddddDhawan and Naman Ojha began rebuilding the innings and looked to kick on in the 15th over, the latter hitting the first maximum of the game. However, Dinda returned and made a mess of Ojhas stumps to leave Hyderabad 79-6 with a little more than three overs remaining. Dhawan brought up his half-century with a six over long on and after Bipul Sharma was run out, Bhuvneshwar Kumar added another to take the total past 100.The No 9 hit a further two boundaries before hauling out in the final over as the Sunrisers finished on 118-8, Dhawan unbeaten on 56.Any thoughts the Supergiants had of an easy chase soon had to be revised though as Ajinkya Rahane was caught by Morgan in the first over of the reply, a wicket maiden from Kumar.However, after negotiating a tricky spell against the new ball - Kumar, in particular, was causing problems with his swing - Faf du Plessis and Smith began to push on and took Pune to 71-1 after eight overs.Henriques had Du Plessis (30) caught behind in the 10th over and Dhoni (5) fell soon after, Nehra with the wicket after Tare took a sharp catch at backward point. That was the last action before the rain came down again and brought an end to proceedings to give Pune victory by 34 runs on Duckworth/Lewis.Catch more IPL action on Wednesday at 3pm on Sky Sports 1 as high-flying Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions meet at Feroz Shah Kotla. ' ' '