Attempt To Injure Match Penalty - What Suspension Can Be Expected?

[seaner7633 2]

Here is the write up from the game report that was sent to USA Hockey. There's nothing I need to add, as it basically covers the whole incident. I'll curious to see what everyone thinks the suspensions should/could/will be. Only editing has been team and players' names.

During the second period, the puck was shot down and along the boards from inside of the Puma's defensive zone. The puck came behind the net and number 14, Vick Smith, from the Pumas went to play the puck. He was standing on the goal line to the right of the net. Number 4, Gerry Jones came in from the top of the circle and boarded Vick Smith viscously from behind into the boards. Vick Smith then got up and he and Jones started to exchange punches. One of Smith's punches connected with Jones’s face and he went down to the ice. Smith then threw several more punches while standing over Jones. These punches also hit Jones in the face. As we intervened to break the two apart, Smith fell to the ice and put Jones in a choke hold. He refused to let go and said “I’ll fucking kill you!” “Don’t ever try and hurt me!” I had to grab Smith’s arm and pull it from around Jones’s neck so that he could get free. The two were then separated and escorted off the ice.

Jones received a major for the boarding under rule 603A because it was a viscous hit. He also received a major plus a game for fighting under rule 615A.

Smith received a major plus a game for fighting under rule 615A and a match penalty for attempt to injure an opponent under rule 602A.

[shooter27 116]

What level of hockey was this? Age group/classification?

[Krev 86]

Sounds like mens league to me. A match is indefinite until a hearing, which can be up to 30 days until the hearing depending on the league authorities.

I'd say equal suspensions, personally. But only one of them was given a match.

[rfm1237 0]

While you can't condone Smith's actions, you can certainly understand them. There is absolutely no place in the game for checking from behind into the boards at any level. Not sure what the suspensions should be, but I would certainly hope that Jones would get more than Smith. A lot more. Checking from behind can lead to serious permanent injury. I just dont know what goes through some guys heads.

[seaner7633 2]

shooter27, Krev is correct. This is adult rec hockey, B level in North Carolina.

[hockeymass 11]

While you can't condone Smith's actions, you can certainly understand them. There is absolutely no place in the game for checking from behind into the boards at any level. Not sure what the suspensions should be, but I would certainly hope that Jones would get more than Smith. A lot more. Checking from behind can lead to serious permanent injury. I just dont know what goes through some guys heads.

There's also absolutely no place for throwing punches.

[chippa13 1844]

Attempt to Injure used to carry a 30 day suspension in USA Hockey.

[hunterphfr 12]

We had a game a week ago, our guy got a game for instigating and a game for fighting. They had a guy get a game for fighting, a guy got a game for 3rd man in and an additional player got a game for intent to injure. Basically coming up behind 2 guys wrapping his stick around their throat with a hand on either side and yanking backwards. Ripped one guys helmet and cage off his head.

I argued with the league director that by definition intent to injure is a match penalty and a match penalty is a mandatory 30 day suspension or until a hearing in front of the district official in chief(I think that's the wording). Fell on deaf ears, guy got one game.

We're a USA Hockey sanctioned league, but the director and his predecessor pretty much do whatever they want.

[wrangler 157]

Can you report them to USA Hockey? Would they do anything?

I'd think if USA Hockey has rules that sanctioned leagues have to follow, there'd be some accountability, and a process for violations.

[Chadd 916]

Impossible to say without seeing the incident myself but a vicious boarding would most likely warrant a match from me as well.

[MN old and slow 92]

there is indeed a proper time for throwing punches

[rfm1237 0]

There's also absolutely no place for throwing punches.

Lots of things that shouldn't be in the game but are. That said I don't think the two are even remotely comparable. If you hit a guy from behind you can put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

[hockeymass 11]

there is indeed a proper time for throwing punches

Not in mens' league, no. If you're going to throw punches over a bad hit in mens' league, you're only going to make things worse and get yourself in trouble too.

[Chadd 916]

Not in mens' league, no. If you're going to throw punches over a bad hit in mens' league, you're only going to make things worse and get yourself in trouble too.

It may never be "right" but there are times when it may be "justified". There is a difference between the two.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

It's a fine line. If something happened that would be enough to start throwing punches off the ice, you can bet your ass it would be enough to throw em on the ice as well. It would certainly take a lot, though... being an adult with a family and job, and all.

[chk hrd 164]

I've alway saw that Most of the guys who want to scrap on the ice won't do it off the ice, something about putting gear on and thinking they're tough hockey players give them a false sense of bravery

[flaming_june 2]

It's more of, what's on the ice stays on the ice. Rarely though, fights on the ice do continue at the parking lot. For some people beer league is like the nhl; The go out thinking their Claude L. and intentionally instigate a lot of hate that pushes everyone's patience.

[Chadd 916]

It's more of, what's on the ice stays on the ice. Rarely though, fights on the ice do continue at the parking lot. For some people beer league is like the nhl; The go out thinking their Claude L. and intentionally instigate a lot of hate that pushes everyone's patience.

We played a team full of guys like that tonight and I have a welt from a slash to the neck to prove it.

[MN old and slow 92]

been playing 50 years have found that one or two discreet well placed punches usually ends the chippy stuff and the game then goes on it ends it more than it escalates once a chippy team knows the gate swings both ways they stop it

[rinkrat94 1]

Where in North Carolina?

[fatwabbit 93]

Fast forward to about 2:30 ... Big slash by red guy by blue guy. Blue guy says 'wtf' and blue guy two comes barreling in but gets clotheslined.