Multiple suspensions following CC24 end of game incidents

Coventry vs. Guildford 24/10/21

On Sunday night in Coventry, multiple incidents took place at the end of Challenge Cup Game #24: Coventry Blaze v Guildford Flames 24/10/21

Both coaches were informed of the suspensions this morning by telephone, confirmed in writing at 16:10.

Kevin Lindskoug
While this celebration is part of his normal game, what is not acceptable is to deliberately do this in front of multiple opposition players. After his initial celebration, Lindskoug moves away from his crease and intentionally continues his celebration in front of multiple different opposition players in different locations on the ice.

This is both incitement and disrespectful towards the opposition players at the end of a tense and tightly contested hockey game.

Lindskoug has been fined for his multiple disrespectful actions deemed as incitement.

Jake Bolton
After Lindskoug’s initial celebration, Blaze #74 Nathanael Halbert takes exception and crosschecks Lindskoug in the chest. Flames #19 Jake Bolton, in retaliation, made an illegal-cross check action directed at Halbert. Halbert had no way of protecting himself.

The stick and hands of Bolton were raised in a manner that deem the cross-check targeted at the area of Halbert’s head. In addition, Bolton, when raising his stick to the head area, extended his arms in a direct motion towards Halbert’s head.

This type of action is deemed reckless and endangering with a high risk of causing an injury. Bolton must refrain from retaliatory, reckless actions through the use of his stick.

Effective immediately, Guildford Flames #19 Jake Bolton is fined and suspended for two games.

David Broll
As the video shows, the game ends with the play in Coventry’s attacking zone and the Blaze playing 6-on-3. An altercation ensues in front of the goal net, with Coventry already having manpower advantage due to the powerplay and having an extra attacker with the goaltender pulled, we see Blaze Forward David Broll enter the attacking zone, having left the players bench during an altercation with the intention of joining or starting an altercation.

Broll ignores clear instruction by the official to stay at the bench and continues to skate towards the altercation through the position held by the official who had placed himself between the altercation and Broll, and in doing so makes contact to the officials’ head area with his left forearm sufficient to dislodge the official’s visor.

Broll gets involved in several altercations before he was removed from the area by the officials and skated towards the locker room with the official, under the instructions of leaving the ice.

We next see Broll approximately twenty seconds later skating back towards the Guildford players’ bench where a further altercation had occurred, instead of having been in the locker room at this time. He again engages with opposition players already involved in an ongoing altercation and attempts to start a new altercation before he is removed from the area and escorted to the locker room area.

To summarise: Broll was assessed a minor penalty plus an automatic game misconduct as the first player leaving the player's bench which carries an automatic minimum one-game suspension.

In addition, he was assessed a Game Misconduct for Physical Abuse of Officials. After consultation between EIHL Hockey Operations and the on-ice officials, it was confirmed that this was a Category 3 offence: “physically demeaning or threatening an official, or applying force solely for the purpose of getting free of an official, which carries a tariff of up to three games.”

Finally, Broll was adjudged to be the aggressor of an altercation and assessed the appropriate Major and Game Misconduct penalty. As this was during the final five minutes of the game this carries an automatic, minimum one-game suspension.

Effective immediately, Coventry Blaze #15 David Broll is fined and suspended for four games.

David Clements
We first see Clements outside the Guildford team bench, an area which, at that point in the game, he has no place being. Clements was not on the ice during the final play of the game and has left the players’ bench to be on the ice outside the Guildford bench, ignoring the clear instructions of the officials to hold on or at the respective team bench.

Clements instigates an altercation by Cross-Checking Flames goaltender Lindskoug who is in a vulnerable position and unable to protect himself. This inflames the situation on the ice at the bench.

After the initial cross-check, Clements evades the officials initially and gets involved in further altercations before being restrained. He again breaks free of the officials and starts further altercations and is eventually removed from the area and escorted to the locker room.

To summarise: Clements was adjudged to have left the players’ bench with the intention of joining or starting an altercation. This carries an automatic minimum one-game suspension.

Clements was assessed a Major and Game Misconduct for cross-checking, which will be added to his records and be considered a repeat offender should it happen again this season.

Finally, Clements was assessed the appropriate Major and Game Misconduct penalty as an aggressor. As this was during the final five minutes of the game this carries an automatic minimum one-game suspension.

Effective immediately, Coventry Blaze #58 David Clements is fined and suspended for two games.

Daniel Stewart
Head coach Daniel Stewart has been fined and warned about the future conduct of his players, specifically regarding controlling the bench.

Effective immediately, Daniel Stewart is fined.