3 games is harsh imo as he wasnt greatly harmed or in danger. Is that just the default punishment or?
It's violent conduct and therefore a 3 game ban is mandatory. Doesn't matter how much damage is done or whether the player is in danger or not, if you commit an act of violence towards another player, you rightly get sent off.
I've taken this straight out of the IFAB laws of the game and it explains it properly:
"Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made."