DOPS - GAGNON AND FITZGERALD SUSPENDED FOLLOWING REVIEW
Game: Nottingham Panthers vs Sheffield Steelers - 27/12/17
Time of Game: 17:43 of Period 3
Players Involved: Multiple:
Mathieu Gagnon (Nottingham Panthers #75)
* Minor and Misconduct Instigator
* Game Misconduct Aggressor
* Fighting Major
Robert Farmer (Nottingham Panthers #19)
* Fighting Major and Game Misconduct
Cole Shudra (Sheffield Steelers #27)
* Minor and Misconduct Check to the Head
Zack Fitzgerald (Sheffield Steelers #28)
* Fighting Major
Matt Marquardt (Sheffield Steelers #37)
* Fighting Major and Game Misconduct
After reviewing the incident, the Department of Player Safety has determined that no further action is required against Robert Farmer, Matt Marquardt or Cole Shudra.
The actions of Mathieu Gagnon and Zack Fitzgerald were raised for supplementary discipline.
Mathieu Gagnon (Nottingham Panthers #75)
A body check in the corner boards occurred by Sheffield Steelers #27 Cole Shudra, which is and was a delayed call, identified by the referee. As Shudra is skating out of the attacking zone into the neutral zone, Gagnon instigated a fight with Shudra who is a non-willing combatant.
Gagnon approached from the back side of the opposing player. Regardless of how you want to define fighting – this is not a fight. A real fight is two willing combatants, not an unsuspecting approach on a non-willing player.
After being engaged with Shudra, Gagnon then becomes engaged with another opposing player and again the opposing player was a non-willing combatant.
In a third situation, Gagnon was involved in another fight.
Considering the first two altercations were with non-willing combatants followed by fighting in a third altercation, supplementary discipline is required.
The first two incidents are not fights, are not considered in anyway a part of the game and serve no purpose in hockey.
The key points of this incident are:
* Gagnon engaged in multiple fights at the same stoppage
* Gagnon was the Instigator that started the entire incident
* Gagnon fought non-willing players
After considering all of this, the Elite League Department of Player Safety has suspended Mathieu Gagnon for 2 games.
Zack Fitzgerald (Sheffield Steelers #28)
With a fight in progress, Fitzgerald skated a long distance at a high rate of speed, dropped his stick well before the location of the altercation and was the 3rd man-in to the altercation.
The rate of speed and approach into the fight was dangerous and certainly not and never will be considered part of the game.
The actions of Fitzgerald are dangerous, performing a full tackle on a unsuspecting opponent. This in not a fight, nor part of the game
After being a 3rd man-in to the altercation, Fitzgerald broke free of the linesman and was involved in a secondary fight.
Considering these actions, supplementary discipline is required.
The actions of Fitzgerald are not part of the game, serve no purpose and again are not part of a requirement for a fight (two willing combatants).
The key points of this incident are:
* Fitzgerald was the 3rd man-in
* Fitzgerald made an aggressive and dangerous approach to a fight already in progress
* Fitzgerald engaged in a second altercation during the same stoppage
After considering all of this, the Elite League Department of Player Safety has suspended Zack Fitzgerald for 1 game.
