There was quite a bit if nastiness in Europe Tuesday and one player will have to sit out a few games due to a suspension.
There were two match penalties called by referees, both for board checks that caused injuries, and after reviewing video and circumstances. Sepp Blatter, the league’s Director of Player Safety and Discipline, has decided to suspend Dublin Fighting Irish forward Vladimir Sobotka for two games. Sobotka blasted Minsk defenseman Kris Russell into the boards behind Hussar goalie Carey Price in a game in Ireland that Minsk won 7-2. The hit left Russell writhing in pain on the ice and it earned Sobotka a trip to the showers. The game was tied 2-2 in the second period when the incident occurred and it seemed to rile up Minsk, who rattled off 4 goals in the next 12 minutes. The Hussars will probably call up 27-year-old David Rundblad to replace Russell for the next 1 to 2 weeks. Rundblad has not yet played a game in the EURO League. Sobotka will miss a game against Irish rival Belfast and a rematch with Minsk the day after.
Calle Jarnkrok of Munich didn’t play much after a similar boarding incident in the Red Bulls’ game with Madrid, but he did play. That fact, Blatter said, and some “nice Spanish notes” got Royal forward Gabriel Bourque off the suspension hook Tuesday. “Spanish is a beautiful language and I move looking at the elegant words and numbers in that language. (Madrid GM) Tony B gave me some beautiful examples on paper and I want to let him know I appreciate the gesture. Bourque can play.” Blatter said. The Madrid forward missed 49 minutes of game after being ejected following the hit.
The roughest game of the night did not result in any match penalties, but it did feature two fights and a major penalty. P.K. Subban of Belfast danced with Gothenburg heavyweight Mark Fraser – Fraser received a misconduct penalty as the instigator – and he liked it so much he went after Mikhail Pashnin two periods later. In the latter fight, Subban was deemed to be the instigator. Onlookers said Fraser easily defeated Subban in the first fight but P.K. won the nightcap against Pashnin.
