Pietroniro suspended for boarding

Devils forward receives suspension

On Wednesday night in Glasgow, Devils forward Chad Pietroniro was penalized with a Major and Game Misconduct for Boarding Clan defenceman Nate Kallen and causing an injury.

As the video shows, Cardiff dump the puck into the zone with Kallen winning the race to the loose puck. Collecting the puck on the side wall, Kallen skates deeper into his defensive zone to avoid Devils forward Ben Davies. Pietroniro, seeing Kallen avoid Davies, starts accelerating toward Kallen on the forecheck. Kallen makes a play on the puck, passing it to a teammate. After the puck is released, Pietroniro, moving with excessive momentum after traveling from a distance, finishes his check into Kallen, throwing him violently into the boards and causing an injury. This is Boarding.

It is important to note that on making this hit, Pietroniro does not make an attempt to make a play on the puck and make a hit with the intention of separating the puck from the puck carrier. Instead, on seeing Kallen release the puck, leaving him ineligible to be hit, Pietroniro loads up for contact and makes a dangerous hit on a player who is unaware and unable to protect himself; delivering a hard, violent check to an opponent with no regard for the player or the puck, that is made with the intention to separate the player from the game. Pietroniro, traveling from distance and moving with speed, is fully aware of his momentum, and Kallen. He choses to make contact with a vulnerable opponent with a predatory hit that causes an injury.

To Summarise:

• Boarding
• Kallen was injured on the play and did not return to the game
• No History. Pietroniro has neither been fined or suspended during the EIHL 2023/24 season

Effective immediately Cardiff Devils #74 Chad Pietroniro is fined and suspended for three games.