Smith received a major penalty and a game-disqualification penalty for checking Irwin from behind into the boards on Saturday night. The DQ comes with an automatic one-game suspension. According to the press release, the university gave him an extra game to "reinforce the learning experience."
"I know that Craig feels remorse for the incident," Badgers coach Mike Eaves said. "He will learn and move forward."
Irwin suffered an upper-body injury and will miss this weekend's series at Denver.
The extra game suspension has shades of last season when the Mavericks' Trevor Bruess received two one-game suspensions for what were called dangerous hits. The first suspension was called a decision by MSU and had approval from the WCHA, while the second came from the league office. There was no mention of the WCHA in the Smith release. Wonder if the league was involved?
UPDATE: Wisconsin State Journal hockey writer Andy Baggot is reporting that Smith's suspension came from the WCHA office.
UPDATE 2: The WCHA issued a press release from Commissioner Bruce McLeod, endorsing the suspension. "The WCHA fully concurs with the additional one-game suspension handed down today by the University of Wisconsin. We appreciate the university's initiative on this matter and their pro-active approach in creating a learning experience out of a difficult circumstance."
6 comments:
I'm glad to see the WCHA is taking stuff like this seriously. The hit on Irwin was vicious.
While it's bad for Irwin to have an injury, I think everyone can be thankful that it wasn't something much more serious because it had the potential to be critical.
Also, props to Eaves for supporting this and not being like Lucia last year and defending out of control actions by his player!
First, Props to the WCHA for finally calling this rule. I wouldn't really call this the Bruess rule. The tougher penalties for a CFB actually came after the hit on Robbie Bina at the 2005 Final Five, but it hasn't necessarily always been called the way it should in the WCHA. Also, a game DQ is a one game suspension, not that it comes with a one game suspension. I know what you meant, but others may not.
Well, a game DQ means you're DQed for that game, otherwise it would be a misconduct and a DQ/suspension. In fact, for a long time, writers avoided using the term suspension for a DQ and instead said so-and-so has to sit out or miss the next game. But it's a technicality. A misconduct means you're kicked out of the game. A DQ means you're kicked out of the game and you miss the next one. Both count for 10 minutes on your PIMs.
I am amazed at all the dirty hits and stick play in college hockey compared to jr.s. If these guys pulled this crap in Jr.s they would get the pounded. Let college players fight without helmets and you would be surprised how less brave they are.
The other thing I was going to add regarded what I said about Trevor Bruess. It was a little tongue-in-cheek. However, Bruess was suspended twice last season after what were regarded as dangerous hits by the WCHA. There was some discussion after his second -- which left MSU without him for the first game of the WCHA playoffs -- about whether the WCHA should have a uniform review and suspension policy for such play. Some suspensions during the season seemed to come from the schools; others came from the league. I'd rather see the league handle such decisions.
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