WASHINGTON — Suspended by the NHL for three games for his elbow to Tomas Fleischmann’s jaw during the second period of the Rangers’ 2-1 defeat in Florida on Wednesday, winger Andre Deveaux was gratified not to have been branded as malicious by VP Brendan Shanahan.
In issuing the sentence, Shanahan said he, “…agreed with [Deveaux’s] assertion there was no malicious intent.”
“I’m glad that he realizes that I’m not that kind of a player,” Deveaux told The Post yesterday during the first intermission of his club’s 6-3 victory over the Caps. “If I’m going to settle something, I’ll do it with my fists, not with my elbow or my stick.
“It was unintentional.”
The play occurred at 10:59 of the second period when Fleischmann, cutting across the neutral zone left to right, put the puck to Deveaux’s right while beating the winger to his left.
“As Fleischmann is about to go past him, Deveaux sticks out his left leg while also flaring his elbow,” Shanahan said in his latest video. “Deveaux’s elbow catches Fleischmann in his jaw, making his head the principal point of contact.
“Despite the fact that Deveaux conceded this was a dangerous reflex and instinct and [the NHL] agreed with his assertion there was no malicious intent, the recklessness was evident due to the fact Deveaux had to extend considerably to make such contact.”
Deveaux, who has played nine games since his Oct. 30 promotion from the AHL Whale, was spared a harsher sentence because of an otherwise clean rap sheet and the fact that Fleischmann, who returned relatively quickly, did not suffer an injury.
“On the play, the puck went one way, he went another and I thought I had him lined up,” Deveaux said. “I raised up. … The next thing I knew he was on the ice. Like I say, that isn’t me. That wasn’t my intention. I’m very glad he wasn’t hurt.”
Helmet knocked off, the winger flying down the left side with blond hair flowing in the wind 1:45 into the second period, it seemed as if the ghost of Gene Carr had reappeared in a Rangers’ uniform. Instead it was Carl Hagelin, the Swedish-born product of the University of Michigan and likely the club’s fastest skater since Carr wore the Blueshirt in the early ’70s, who created windburn in his first NHL game.
“Did you see the Flash?” Henrik Lundqvist wanted to know. “Did you see?”
Hagelin had an impressive NHL debut in 10:30 of ice following Wednesday’s recall from the AHL Whale, playing the left side on a line with Brian Boyle in the middle and fellow Connecticut grad John Mitchell on the right.
“I felt very comfortable, and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I was very fortunate to get big minutes when I was in the minors, getting power play and penalty killing time and playing there on a line with Mitchell and [Mats] Zuccarello, who are very comfortable.” Hagelin said. ““I wasn’t nervous. It seemed more like another game than anything.”
Hagelin, who recorded 13 points (7-6) in 17 games with the Whale, impressed with his speed during camp but struggled to create offense. The 23-year-old, 168th overall selection in the 2007 Entry Draft said that slow starts are the norm for him.
“I’m usually like that in the beginning,” Hagelin said. “I didn’t skate much over the summer so I knew my hands would come.
“The last 10 games in the AHL, the game was really coming for me. I felt I was playing with a lot more confidence. I began to feel more like myself.”
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Philadelphia’s Jody Shelley, who sat in the locker stall next to Brandon Dubinsky when they were Rangers’ teammates down the 2009-10 stretch, said that Dubinsky, “plays like a weasel” on HBO’s 24/7 preview that aired last night.
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Artem Anisimov’s second period score off a wicked left wing wrist shot came on the power play. Anisimov, held without a shot in his previous two games, had a team high seven shots against a shaky Michal Neuvirth (who played behind a shakier team defense) that matched his career high. … The Rangers finished 1-for-5 in 6:38 with the man advantage and are 4-for-38 in their last nine matches. … John Tortorella lauded Derek Stepan, the coach calling the sophomore center, “probably our best player in all situations [now], he’s playing that well.” Stepan played some point on the power play with Brad Richards lining up as a forward. … Erik Christensen was a healthy scratch for the third time this season and first time since sitting out in Winnipeg on Oct. 24. The center has four points (1-3, the goal on a five-on-three) in 16 games while averaging 7:54 per. Christensen has gotten as much as 10:00 of ice only once. “I don’t see much in Erik’s game right now,” Tortorella said. “It’s a hard thing for Erik with as much [little] ice time as he gets.” … Anton Stralman, who made his Rangers’ debut on Wednesday, was scratched in favor of Jeff Woywitka. … The Rangers, who face the Flyers this afternoon at the Garden, are 9-0-1 when scoring three goals or more. The match marked second time this year Blueshirts won while allowing at least three goals (2-4-1).
larry.brooks@nypost.com