Minnesota Duluth's Hobey Baker Award candidate Scott Perunovich avoided a suspension for his check from behind on Western Michigan forward Dawson DiPietro two weeks ago in AmsOil Arena.

The Hobey Baker Award candidate was called for a major and a game misconduct on the play.

While he wasn't subject to supplementary discipline that time, Perunovich will have to serve an NCAA-mandated one-game suspension for any further game misconducts this season.

According to NCAA rules, any player with three game misconducts in the same season is required to serve a one-game suspension. The suspension cannot be served during an exhibition. Every game misconduct beyond that also carries a one-game suspension.

Last season, this happened to UND's Dixon Bowen, who received his third game misconduct of the season on Feb. 2 against Denver and was automatically suspended for the next game at Western Michigan.

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Right now, three National Collegiate Hockey Conference players are one game misconduct away from an automatic suspension -- Perunovich, Minnesota Duluth forward Tanner Laderoute and Denver defenseman Slava Demin all have two game misconducts.

Because Minnesota Duluth and Denver are both on track to be NCAA tournament teams, these players will have to be extra careful come the postseason, so they don't get suspended for big games.

This most notably happened in 2015 to Miami's top goal-scorer, Blake Coleman.

In the 2015 NCHC championship game, Coleman had a hat trick to lead the RedHawks to a 3-2 win over St. Cloud State. But after he scored his third goal of the game, Coleman was called for a five-minute major for contact to the head. It was his third game misconduct that season, so he was automatically suspended for Miami's first-round NCAA tournament game.

Miami went on to lose to Providence 7-5 without Coleman and standout Riley Barber, who was injured in the NCHC championship game.

Minnesota Duluth also had a player sitting on two game misconducts for much of last season. Defenseman Nick Wolff was called for game misconducts in back-to-back games against UND on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. But Wolff avoided any other majors for the final 28 games of the season.

Game misconducts by NCHC by team

Omaha (7)

1 -- Taylor Ward (contact to the head)

1 -- Tyler Weiss (interference)

1 -- Zach Jordan (contact to the head)

1 -- Nolan Sullivan (kneeing)

1 -- Ryan Jones (contact to the head)

1 -- John Schuldt (contact to the head)

1 -- Noah Prokop (facemasking)

Minnesota Duluth (6)

2 -- Scott Perunovich (facemasking, checking from behind)

2 -- Tanner Laderoute (checking from behind, checking from behind)

1 -- Jesse Jacques (contact to the head)

1 -- Hunter Lellig (checking from behind)

St. Cloud State (6)

1 -- Easton Brodzinski (checking from behind)

1 -- Jack Ahcan (boarding)

1 -- Jack Poehling (boarding)

1 -- Chase Brand (checking from behind)

1 -- Kevin Fitzgerald (checking from behind)

1 -- Clark Kuster (contact to the head)

Western Michigan (3)

1 -- Michael Joyaux (checking from behind)

1 -- Mattias Samuelsson (checking from behind)

1 -- Cam Lee (facemasking)

Colorado College (3)

1 -- Grant Cruikshank (checking from behind)

1 -- Josiah Slavin (spearing)

1 -- Zach Berzolla (checking from behind)

Denver (2)

2 -- Slava Demin (facemasking, contact to the head)

Miami (2)

1 -- Carter Johnson (kneeing)

1 -- Bray Crowder (checking from behind)

North Dakota (2)

1 -- Shane Pinto (cross-checking)

1 -- Cole Smith (checking from behind)