It could’ve been a lot worse.
Victoria Royals player Kody McDonald took out his frustrations at the Kamloops Blazers bench during Thursday night’s WHL playoff game. McDonald, 20, swung his stick around the bench-dividing partition, catching Kamloops forward Zane Franklin and athletic trainer Toledo Robinson. Robinson’s glasses were reportedly broken in the attack.
Here’s video of tonight’s stick swinging incident at bench. Mcdonald gets Franklin and trainer Toledo Robinson. Broke his glasses. How this didn’t result in serious injury is a miracle. Match penalty. pic.twitter.com/Gcwwo5agtZ
— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) March 28, 2019
The assault came at 7:58 of the third period, with the score tied at 3-3. McDonald was frustrated after picking up an embellishment penalty minutes earlier.
Referee Steve Papp immediately tossed McDonald, who had to be physically restrained as he was escorted off the ice by linesman Cody Wanner.
Kamloops’ Franklin, the target of McDonald’s stickwork, also picked up a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play.
The Blazers went on to win the game 6-3, tying their opening round playoff series at two games apiece.365
Officials for the game were refs Steve Papp and Kyle Kowalski, with Cody Wanner and Dustin Minty on lines.
(Stick-tap to Jon Keen for the clip)
