Ross Johnston Suspended For 15 Games

[Y Ddraig Goch]

The Director of Player Safety of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Raymond Bolduc, today suspended player Ross Johnston of the Moncton Wildcats for a total of 15 games.

The director of player safety took this decision after having viewed the videos of the incident, reviewed the medical report, spoken to the players and the organisations involved and after consulting the independent committee in the matter of disciplinary sanctions and his senior advisor Sebastien Bordeleau.

[Y Ddraig Goch]

Brian Lovell Injury - YouTube

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

Was he trying to hack the guy's face off, or was he trying to pry his stick out from being stuck in the glass?

[chilly666]

pull it out from between panes of glass

[shock]

Why did he pull on the stick, look directly at the other guy, and then swing? And then just skate away like nothing happened? Looked like he used the opportunity to do some stick work on the guy.

[cooke-swallows]

Man, that sure looked to me like one fluid motion from the pull to hitting his opponent. That's a tough suspension given the circumstances. It sure doesn't look to me like he swung straight at Lovell, it looks like he yanked the stick out of the glass and clipped him. I don't know if he has a reputation, but that doesn't look like intent to me. Certainly not worth 15 games.

[Y Ddraig Goch]

He more than clipped Lovell. He broke his jaw.

[cooke-swallows]

Originally Posted by Y Ddraig Goch

He more than clipped Lovell. He broke his jaw.

Yikes! From that angle it really didn't look like he got him square at all.

[Rypien]

I agree with Shock, at first it seems as though hes pulling his stick out of the glass, but when he makes direct imapct and changes his motion slightly it looks like he used the opportunity to struck Lovell in the face. Dirty IMO

[Viper207]

Originally Posted by Rypien

I agree with Shock, at first it seems as though hes pulling his stick out of the glass, but when he makes direct imapct and changes his motion slightly it looks like he used the opportunity to struck Lovell in the face. Dirty IMO

Plus, just look at the body language. Does he stop, go "oh my god I just cracked this dude's face with a weapon!", and wave a linesman or trainer over? Nope, he ignores the poor kid and goes to chase the play. At first I was going to say it was simply a nasty, reckless play, but now I just see opportunity and intent. 15 games isn't enough IMO, and he's lucky to still be in the league.

[California Gurl]

if hes anything like his brother, he will take any dirty chance for granted and exactly if he sincerly didnt mean to whap him across the face, he would have waved a linesman or trainer over. hes an asshole. he should be out of the league.

[dipandmitts]

that was no accident IMO

[Fast Hawk]

Two hander right in the chops. Lucky to only get 15 IMO.

[nait]

that's just messed up. He really swung for the fence on that. Even stepping into it like a batter would

[BilboBangings]

This is Lovell's face afterwards from a picture uploaded to twitter. I was at the game and there was also no penalty on the play.