The UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) has suspended Manchester Dallas Ehrhardt two games for abuse of official.
The incident took place on October 12, during a game between the Coventry Blaze and Manchester Storm.
Ehrhardt received a penalty call for hooking a player. Play continued on the delayed penalty call, with the whistle sounding as soon as a Manchester player touched the puck. Ehrhardt did more than just touch the puck.
“Ehrhardt, knowing that he is receiving a penalty winds up and takes a fairly forceful shot in the direction of the referee,” said the EIHL Player Safety video. “The area and direction in which Ehrhardt shoots the puck is not considered normal. It is considered as a gesture of disgust with the hooking call that was obvious, or in frustration at himself for allowing an attacking player to get ahead of him and needing to use an illegal means to stop him.”
Ehrhardt was immediately tossed from the game by referees Tom Pering and Dean Smith.
The league deemed Ehrhardt’s actions to be a “threatening gesture” towards the official, therefore hitting him with the two-game ban.
