SIDELINES : Tri-City Suspensions to Remain

Suspensions handed to Coach Rick Kozuback and two players on the Tri-City Americans will continue indefinitely, the president of the Western Hockey League said today.

Ed Chynoweth said a decision on further penalties against Kozuback, Terry Virtue and Jeff Fancy might be made later in the day after league Vice President Rick Doerksen meets with Kozuback in Kennewick, Wash.

“The three were suspended indefinitely, and the suspension is not going to end before tonight’s game, I’ll tell you,” Chynoweth said in a telephone interview from the league’s head office. “We feel Rick Kozuback should be entitled to give his side of the story. Once that’s been done, we’ll have a decision. It could come later today but (Wednesday) at the latest.”

Kozuback, Virtue and Fancy were suspended after members of the Americans went after fans in the stands during a West Division best-of-nine semifinal playoff series in Seattle against the Thunderbirds.