Disciplinary delegation of the ice hockey SM league has prescribed HIFK striker To Leo Komarov three-game suspension for the events of Wednesday’s quarterfinal game against the Pelicans.
Komarov beat the Pelicans’ Czech defenseman who was down on the ice Michal Jordan several times to the back and neck or head area towards the end of the third round.
Jordan collapsed in front of Komarov Antti Pihlström from tackling. Komarov flew out of the situation with a 5+20 minute penalty.
In the situation, the league’s disciplinary delegation applies the rule of the rulebook regarding fighting (no. 46.4), according to which the attacking party in a confrontation is a player who continues to deliver blows with the aim of punishing an opponent who is in a defenseless position or an opponent unwilling to fight.
A player is considered to be the aggressor when he has clearly won the fight, but continues to throw and land blows to continue punishing the opponent and/or insulting the opponent who is no longer able to defend himself.
In addition, according to rule 51 of the rule book, violence is a punching or striking movement with or without gloves that is normally aimed at the opponent’s head or face, or if the player intentionally removes the opponent’s helmet during the game.
Reasons for the decision
Based on the video recording, the disciplinary delegation states that Komarov tackles Pelicans defender Jordan who is looking for the puck in the Pelicans end. Almost immediately after this, HIFK’s Pihlström also tackles Jordan, who falls to the ice from the force of the tackle.
After that, Komarov starts to beat Jordan, who is lying on the ice, from behind with his hands. Komarov continues to rhyme and eventually falls on top of Jordan. Komarov continues the situation by hitting Jordan twice more with his left hand.
The disciplinary delegation states that Komarov’s act fulfills the hallmarks of the violence rule and also the attacking party of the fight rule.
However, according to the disciplinary delegation, Komarov does not use a cross stick to beat or hit the opponent in the situation, but the actions were done with playing gloves in hand.
The disciplinary delegation writes that the playoffs series in particular include hard fighting and also psychological and physical destabilization of the opponent that goes into the gray area of the rules. The delegation notes that Komarov clearly crossed the so-called gray area.
The disciplinary delegation considers that, especially in the final phase of the situation, the opponent has been recklessly endangered by the punching and punching, and therefore it is appropriate to punish the action with a suspension.
– Regarding the length of the suspension, the disciplinary delegation has taken into account the points stated above in the punishment consideration. In addition, the disciplinary delegation has taken the cases of the current season into account when measuring the punishment (Nick Ritchie and Nicholas the Baptist) and the punishments given for similar situations in the previous season. The disciplinary delegation considers Komarov’s act worthy of a three-game suspension.
“Outrageous and unnecessary”
This season, the disciplinary delegation has issued a couple of punishments for similar situations where a player lying on the field has been punched in the head.
In December, Nick Ritchie, who played in Kärpi, was banned for eight games after hitting TPS Markus Nurmea for ten seconds.
In January, Tappara’s Nicholas Baptiste received a one-game ban when he beat the Pelicans with a cross stick Lars Bryggman to the neck.
Urheilu’s ice hockey expert Top Nättinen estimated on Thursday, before the decision of the disciplinary delegation, that Komarov’s punishment will be closer to the one Ritchie received.
– Depending on the interpretation, at least 4–6 blows are aimed at the head, neck or back of a completely defenseless player.
According to Nättinen, the SM league needs to send a message again that this is not allowed.
– The act was outrageous and unnecessary. I would have imagined that we would not see such things, because a similar act has been punished.
Pelicans led the match 3–1 when Komarov scored.
A couple of minutes later, Pelicans inoculated HIFK with superiority, when Filip Kral took the people of Lahti to a 4–1 lead. Julius Nättinen The 4–2 reduction was a thin consolation for HIFK.
After the match, HIFK’s head coach Ville Peltonen did not mention Komarov by name, but he clearly referred to the act of conkar in his comments.
– We still had a little nervous control failure at the end, and there was everything that could be done that was not winning, Peltonen stated.
The Pelicans lead the series with a 1–0 win. The place in the semi-finals is clinched with four wins. The teams will meet next time on Friday at 18:30 in Helsinki.
Friday 22.3. the quarter-final matches HIFK–Pelicans, TPS–Tappara and HPK–Pelicans will be watched in the Ice Hockey round starting at 18:10.