Daniel Carcillo back for Game 4

— -- LOS ANGELES -- New York Rangers forward Daniel Carcillo will be able to play later in the Stanley Cup finals against the Kings after all.

Carcillo's 10-game suspension, incurred in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Montreal Canadiens, has been reduced to six games, the league announced Tuesday. Since the 29-year-old winger already has served three games of his penalty, he will be eligible to return for Game 4 on June 11 at Madison Square Garden.

The gritty winger, who was acquired by the Rangers in a trade with the Kings back in January, said he is eager to have the opportunity to resume playing.

"It's awesome. It puts a little jump in your step. I've been a bit of a dead man walking the last two weeks. Or the last week and a half. It was tough," Carcillo said during media availability Tuesday. "To hear that this morning as soon as you wake up, it just gives a little boost, a little energy. Just to be able to be around the guys in three games will be great. I'm just really encouraged. Like I said, hopefully they don't need me, but it is nice to be able to be around the guys again."

Carcillo was hit with the lengthy ban after striking an NHL linesman during Game 3 against Montreal in the Eastern Conference finals. Carcillo appealed the suspension and met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Friday in New York to seek a review.

After reviewing the incident, Bettman determined that Carcillo should have been punished for a violation of Rule 40.4, for deliberately applying "physical force to an official for the sole purpose of getting free of such official during or immediately following an altercation."

Carcillo was originally cited as an offender of Rule 40.3 -- deliberately applying physical force to an official, which carries an automatic 10-game suspension.

Carcillo said he was relieved to be given the chance to apologize for his actions, adding that the incident had been weighing on him.

"I went in there and I wanted to say what I needed to say. Whatever happened, happened, you know?" he said. "I felt just relieved after getting a chance to speak and apologize to Scott and say my piece. From that standpoint, it was just a big weight off my shoulders doing that."

Carcillo is one of three Rangers to have won a Stanley Cup, which he did while playing for the Blackhawks last season. He said that if he had to advise any teammates playing on the big stage for the first time, it would be to minimize outside noise.

"I think the biggest thing is to dumb down the distractions. Everyone and their mother comes out, or texts you, and all a sudden you're hearing from people you haven't heard from in four years. You've just got to put those distractions on the backburner and take it for what it is," he said. "We all play for this. This is what we battle for, for three rounds and 82 games. To finally be here, you try your best to live in the moment. There's a lot on the line but at the end of the day it's just a hockey game."