October 8, 2022

The NIHL discipline team have completed a review of the NIHL North 2 game between Sutton Sting and Nottingham Lions from last weekend.

An incident at the final buzzer saw several major penalties assessed, while Sutton iced an already-suspended player.

For Sutton Sting, James Spencer received a match penalty for cross checking and a match penalty for fighting. The cross-checking penalty has been assessed at Tier 3 of the discipline tariff (injury caused) and is an eight game suspension. The fighting penalty is at Tier 2 and is a four game suspension. In addition the player reaches ten penalty points and receives an additional two game suspension.

Cameron Ackers was penalised for leaving the players bench and for fighting. He is suspended for six games for leaving the players bench (Tier 2) and four games for fighting (Tier 2). He also reaches ten penalty points and is suspended for a further two games.

Camero​n Kushnirenko received a match penalty for fighting. This player was already subject to a suspension from September 24th and was ineligible to play. He receives a four game suspension for his fighting penalty, assessed at Tier 2, he receives an additional two game suspension for playing while suspended and three games for reaching 15 penalty points.

A hearing was held regarding the playing of a suspended player and determined that the player was not eligible to play and awarded the game 5-0 to Nottingham Lions, issued a two game suspension to bench coach Craig Russell and added ten penalty points to Sutton’s record for the season.

For the Nottingham Lions, Tyler Poole was penalised for leaving the players bench, two fighting incidents and abuse of official. The original game misconduct penalty for abuse of official has been upgraded to a match as the player re-entered the playing surface to be abusive to the official and square up to him on the ice.

Poole has been issued with the following suspensions: six games for leaving the players bench (Tier 2), four games for each of the fighting penalties (Tier 2) (eight games total) and eight games for abuse of official. The player has also crossed two penalty point thresholds, and receives two games for ten points, three games for 15 points.

All suspensions were notified to clubs on Wednesday morning. The hearing on playing an illegal player was concluded on Thursday evening.

Elsewhere in NIHL, Altrincham Aces goalie Evan Coles received a match penalty for roughing on Saturday October 1 and was suspended for one game.

Chelmsford Chieftains’ Grant Bartlett was given a match penalty for fighting on Sunday October 2, this has been assessed at Tier 2 and the player is suspended for four games.

Finally Basingstoke Buffalo goalie Morgan Parsons was assessed a match penalty for roughing on Sunday October 2, using their blocker to punch an unwilling opponent after the final buzzer. This is assessed at Tier 3 and the player receives an eight game suspension.

All NIHL discipline decisions can be found online at www.eiha.co.uk/nihl-discipline.