Quebec amateur player Robby Petiquay has been banned five years for an unexpected attack on an opposing player.
A game between Donnacona and the La Tuque Wolves devolved into an all-out brawl on the ice. Players paired off – some fighting, others just holding on. Gauthier was skating to center when he was blindsided by Petiquay.
“While I was skating alone, Petiquay arrived from the corner of the rink’,” Gauthier said, per translation. “I did not have time to react. As soon as I turned my head, I saw his fist coming. It was a [disrespectful] attack.”
In the clip below, Petiquay is seen punching a player down on the ice behind the goal. As the official separates the two, Petiquay heads straight for center ice and throws a punch, connecting with an unsuspecting Gauthier.
Gauthier spent three days in the hospital, recovering from a severe concussion and a broken nose. Reports indicated that Gauthier’s orbital bone may also be fractured.
The LHSAAAQ, to their credit, has levied punishments to those involved. The La Tuque organization has been fined; its head coach and four players, including Petiquay, received suspensions.
Petiquay’s ban was the most severe, based on the brutality of his act and his prior history. From the league:
“[Petiquay is prohibited from] participating in any activity of the AAA Senior Hockey League of Quebec whether as a player, instructor, member of the support staff or board member for the remainder of the season and the 2018-2019 series as well as for the next five years until the end of the 2024 series.”
“In addition, to return to the LHSAAAQ, team wishing to acquire will have to obtain a unanimous vote from the league’s board of governors as well as place a deposit of an amount to be established by the same office to ensure its good behavior.”
In January 2016, Petiquay was suspended for life for a violent stick attack that broke his opponent’s jaw.
He was later permitted to return to the ice, in what now looks like a very poor decision.
“If we look at Petiquay’s pedigree, he [hit] Simon Rizk’s face three years ago, which ended his career,” said Michel Dorais, president of the LHSAAAQ. “Petiquay had been suspended indefinitely. Following a request from La Tuque, the governors had agreed to reinstate him, through his good behavior. This year, he comes back with another gesture of the same kind. These are assaults. You can not do that in life. […] There are fights in the league, but things like that are unacceptable in 2019.”
Gauthier, unable to work since the attack, plans to file a complaint with police.
