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Flyers' Radko Gudas escapes suspension

Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas, ejected from Tuesday's game for an illegal hit, escaped a suspension and said he will not change his style of play.

"Setting the tone a little bit is part of my game; it's who I am," he said after Wednesday's optional practice in Voorhees. "The Flyers got me here for a reason, so I want to make sure that everyone knows I'm on the ice and be the best for my team that I can."

Gudas confirmed he will not be disciplined for "clipping" Montreal's Lucas Lessio near the boards and getting a five-minute penalty and a game misconduct Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center.

Gudas said general manager Ron Hextall told him Wednesday that the league reviewed the play, and that there would be no further discipline.

"They looked at it, and they didn't see anything they would suspend me for," Gudas said. "You never want to get suspended, so for sure it was a relief."

The Flyers, holding a 3-2 lead with 7 minutes, 44 seconds left at the time of the penalty, killed off the five-minute power play en route to a 4-2 win over the Canadiens. Steve Mason made six of his 30 saves during the Montreal power play.

"For me, we have to move on," Gudas said. "I'm glad the boys killed it off and, more importantly, we got the win."

After the game, Montreal's P.K. Subban sharply criticized Gudas.

"I thought it was low," he said of the hit near Lessio's left knee. "I don't know the player personally, but it seems like when you're on the ice with him, he's the type of guy who will do stuff like that."

Gudas said he didn't read the comments, "and I'm really not interested. I don't really pay attention to that. It's his thing, and I'm going to let him do his thing. If he wants to do something, I'm going to be on the ice next time, so we'll see what happens. We play them in a couple weeks."

Someone asked Gudas whether he was friends with Subban.

"I can't say I am," he said with a smile.

Earlier this season, after Gudas was suspended three games for a hit to the head of Ottawa's Mika Zibanejad on Dec. 1, the Czech Republic native said he would continue to play aggressively.

He said the same thing Wednesday.

"It's part of my game, you know. I don't want to change my style," he said. "I am who I am. . . . [But] I'm trying to be as useful to the team as I can and not be out for five minutes."

The Flyers play in Nashville on Thursday against Peter Laviolette's Predators. They will play three games in a four-day span.

"My focus - or our focus - is on our next game and moving on from there," Gudas said. "We want to make sure we have a good stretch."

Gudas said he had "no idea" why officials waited several seconds before calling Tuesday's penalty. They decided to call it after Lessio struggled to get up and was helped off the ice.

scarchidi@phillynews.com

@BroadStBull www.philly.com/flyersblog