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+---- Thread: SPHL suspends player 28 games after hit (/Thread-SPHL-suspends-player-28-games-after-hit)
SPHL suspends player 28 games after hit - lovelystyle - 02-11-2023
The Southern Profe sional Evgeni Malkin Men Jersey Hockey League dropped the hammer on Columbus Cottonmouths forward Craig Simchuk after an incident from a game this weekend against the Peoria Rivermen. Simchuk was suspended 28 games for his hit on Rivermen goalie Kyle Rank, which left Rank unconscious and later hospitalized. Cottonmouths head coach Jerome Bechard has also been suspended six games.Heres a look at the hit in question, :After the game, Peoria coach Jean-Guy Trudel accused Bechard of ordering his players to injure Rank. Bechard denied it, and the SPHL said they found no evidence of such an order being given, but they chose to suspend Bechard six games anyway for failing to control his team and creating an environment that contributed to Simchuk's actions.It was suggested Nick Bjugstad Women Jersey that Simchuks hit on Rank was in retaliation for a collision that involved Cottonmouths goalie Shannon Szabados, the only woman in mens profe sional ice hockey and a Canadian Olympian. The league said that it reviewed that play as well, but found no evidence of it being anything more than the normal contact that comes over the course of the game. Heres more from the :Regarding perceived events involving the Columbus goaltender that Mr. Simchuk referred to in his statement as a rationale for his actions, the Columbus organization submitted neither a request for review of incident nor a grievance form regarding the officiating in this regard from Fridays game. In addition, review of the game video on Saturday showed nothing that doesnt occasionally occur over the course of a profe sional hockey game involving incidental contact with a goaltender.As it relates to Mr. Simchuk, there is no place in hockey for his actions and deliberately injuring an opposing player will be met with swift and severe Jamie Oleksiak Kids Jersey punishment and based on our review, we found no corroborating evidence that Mr. Simchuk was directly instructed to injure Peoria goaltender Kyle Rank.Again, while there was no evidence he instructed Mr. Simchuks actions, Coach Jerome Bechard bears responsibility for failing to control the actions of his players and contributing to the atmosphere on the bench to the extent Mr. Simchuk felt pre sured to do something Phil Kessel Jersey from the coaching staff. As a member of the leagues Board of Governors, Mr. Bechard has to be held to a higher standard and we feel the unprecedented length of this suspension serves to send that me sage.The SPHL season lasts 56 games, so Simchuk will mi s at least half of the season due to suspension. Columbus has played 19 games so far.Rank was labeled as having a severe concu sion and was struggling with the symptoms. Rank told that he did not remember the hit that knocked him out of the game. There is no timetable for his return according to Eminian.Its an ugly incident for the SPHL as the league continues to try to gain more and more credibility and prove it's more than a league with a lot of fights. The single-A hockey league has grown to 10 teams in recent years and just last season, goalie became the first SPHL alumnus to reach the . He ended the year with his name on the Stanley Cup. Theyve had some positive momentum, so they had no choice but to come down hard on both Simchuk and Bechard.Now theyll have to hope the leagues two-time defending goalie Kris Letang Jersey of the year is able to return to health sooner than later after this disturbing incident.