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Player: Danick Paquette (Coventry Blaze #47)

Game: Manchester Storm v Coventry Blaze -14/02/18

Incident: Major and Game Misconduct - Slashing

With a Manchester Storm player in possession of the puck, which was located directly in front of him, Danick Paquette used his stick in an illegal manner.

 Paquette was approximately a stick length behind the Manchester Storm player in possession of the puck. Instead of skating to play the puck, Paquette instead chose to use his stick to make contact to the groin area of the opposing player, directly from behind.

The opposing player was unsuspecting of this action, and really never should be suspecting of stick contact directly from behind to the groin area.

The slash to the groin area is not a legal play. It is considered to be a senseless play.

It is important to understand that the IIHF Rule Book covers this specific example under rule 159 vi, which states:

“A player who lifts his stick between an opponent’s legs for the purpose of making contact with the groin will be assessed either a major penalty and game-misconduct penalty or a match penalty.”

Considering Paquette made no attempt to play the puck or check the opposing player in a legal manner and instead chose a illegal tactic, supplementary discipline is required.

The incident is considered a Category 1 offence – ‘Careless’ – insufficient attention or thought to avoid harm or error. Liable to happen as a consequence of, by intending to affect an opponent through a reactionary or accidental motion or the incident is deemed careless causing negligence.

 The key points of this incident are:

* Slashing motion directly to the groin area.

* From behind.

* Opposing player was unsuspecting.

Based on all of these factors, the Elite League Department of Player Safety has suspended Danick Paquette for 1 game.