Niagara IceDogs goaltender Christian Sbaraglia was tossed from Thursday’s game for a violent slash to the head of Oshawa Generals forward Daniel Michaud.
First goalie penalty of the year goes to Sbaraglia for… whatever this is.
Awful. Was given a match penalty for it. #OHL pic.twitter.com/qkSodCo4f2
— Caitlin Berry (@caitlinsports) September 27, 2019
Sbaraglia was given a match penalty for roughing and ejected from the game. He was replaced between the pipes with goaltender Tucker Tynan.
Oshawa scored on the the ensuing five-minute power play en route to a 4-3 win.
No word on whether further discipline may be assessed by the Ontario Hockey League.
Sbaraglia’s slash appeared to be in retaliation for an earlier exchange with Michaud. The Generals forward was crosschecked into Sbaraglia by IceDogs defenseman Drew Hunter
Main cam was at centre ice when it happened, so doesn’t look like we have another angle.
This happened a little earlier which MAY have been the reason why Sbaraglia lashed out at Michaud. #OHL pic.twitter.com/kA4MiZ2E34
— Caitlin Berry (@caitlinsports) September 27, 2019
From the OHL Rule Book:
51.3 Match Penalty – If, in the judgment of the Referee, a goalkeeper uses his blocking glove to punch an opponent in the head or face in an attempt to or to deliberately injure an opponent, a match penalty must be assessed.
While slashing – upon review of the play – may have been the more accurate call, the net result was the same. A match and ejection for Sbaraglia, and the possibility of supplemental disciplinary action by the league.
Referees for the game were Darcy Burchell and Morgan MacPhee. Linesmen were Kevin Hastings and Mike Harrington.
