Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has been suspended two games -- coming in the playoffs or regular season -- for cross-checking against Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.

Earlier Wednesday, Benn, when speaking to reporters, described it as a "heat of the moment" play that led to the match penalty in Game 3, earning him both a first-period ejection and a player safety hearing.

Benn said Wednesday that he needed to be more responsible with his body and stick.

Just 1 minute, 53 seconds into Tuesday night's 4-0 loss to the Golden Knights in Dallas, Benn was given a game misconduct for cross-checking Stone, the Vegas captain, around the jaw while Stone was flat on the ice.

Vegas moved within one victory of a Western Conference finals sweep of the Stars.

"That was my first shift of a game on home ice, when you're pretty jacked up and you're down 1-0. So you want to try and get your game going. Emotions are high and it's just an unfortunate play," Benn said. "I put my team in a tough situation, so it's pretty unfortunate."

"It didn't feel good," Stone told reporters Wednesday. "I think I was more a little bit surprised. It was early in the game, it was my first shift of the game. I didn't expect to get stomped on like that. But I could hear the ref making sure I was all right and I felt okay to get up. The refs made sure the right call was made."

When asked if he would change anything on the play, Benn said he believed that he fell on Stone.

"Obviously, didn't want to take a five-minute penalty, but when the game happens fast, emotions are high. Obviously I would've liked to not fall on him and I guess use my stick as the landing point," he said.