AHL Player Suspended for Season in Stick Attack

An American Hockey League player was suspended Friday through the end of next season for a two-handed, stick-swinging attack on an opponent.

Hamilton Bulldog forward Alexander Perezhogin, whose NHL rights belong to the Montreal Canadiens, received the longest suspension on record in AHL history. He’ll miss the rest of this year’s playoffs.

Perezhogin slammed his stick into Cleveland Baron defenseman Garrett Stafford’s face during an April 30 playoff game in Hamilton, Canada.

Stafford, on his knees when he was hit, fell to the ice in convulsions, blood gushing from a gash on his face. He needed 20 stitches and had a concussion.

The players’ fight began when Stafford swung his stick at Perezhogin, striking the back of his helmet. Perezhogin responded with the baseball-like swing to Stafford’s face.

Stafford was suspended for six games and will serve his suspension at the start of next season because the Barons were eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs.

“While in my opinion the action of Mr. Stafford was clearly a contributing factor to the incident, the reaction by Mr. Perezhogin was indefensible in terms of both its nature and its real and potential consequences,” AHL President David Andrews said.

Cleveland General Manager Wayne Thomas said that the team was satisfied with the discipline.

“If this is the standard ruling for blows to the head, now and in the future, then we can accept it,” said Thomas, who is also assistant general manager of the Barons’ parent organization, the San Jose Sharks.

Thomas said the team was leaving it up to Stafford whether to appeal, and Stafford hasn’t decided.