A Victoria Royals player who hit a Kamloops player and trainer with his hockey stick is being punished with a six-game suspension.
Victoria Royals forward Kody McDonald, 20, received a match penalty during a WHL playoff game with the Kamloops Blazers on March 27 after he swung his stick at Kamloops forward Zane Franklin, connecting once with the player’s head before swinging again and hitting Kamloops trainer Colin (Toledo) Robinson.
RELATED: Victoria Royal handed indefinite suspension for striking Kamloops trainer and player
McDonald was escorted from the ice and received a match penalty and automatic one-game suspension.
On Wednesday the WHL announced that McDonald will be suspended for six games – since he’s already been out for two, he’ll be eligible to return April 13 for game 5 of the second-round series against the Vancouver Giants.
“The WHL takes incidents of this nature very seriously,” said WHL Commissioner Ron Robison in a statement. “Actions of this kind are unacceptable to the WHL.”
RELATED: Victoria Royals’ McDonald suspended after striking Kamloops player, trainer with a stick
The second series starts April 5 with the Royals battling the Vancouver Giants on the road. Victoria hosts game 3 and 4 of the series April 9 and 11 at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Tickets are available over the phone by calling 250-220-7777 and online at selectyourtickets.com. Tickets for Royals’ playoff games start at $22 with discounts available for groups.
nina.grossman@blackpress.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
