Austrian center Vinzenz Rohrer was ejected from his team’s game against Switzerland for a cross-check to the face of Sandro Schmid.

The two lined up for a draw in the Austria zone. Rohrer won the draw, pulling the puck back as Schmid delivered a cross-check up high.  Rohrer responded with a cross-check of his own, catching Schmid in the face.  There was no call for Schmid’s inital strike, but Rohrer’s retaliation picked up a major penalty call on the ice. 

Refs Tobias Bjork and Riku Brander reviewed the cross-check, confirming their initial call under Rule 59.3:

The Referee, at their discretion, may assess a Major Penalty and an automatic Game Misconduct Penalty if, in their judgment, the Player recklessly endangers their opponent by a “cross-checking” and the player would not be sufficiently sanctioned by imposing a Minor Penalty.

Such assessment of reckless endangerment shall be based on the severity of the infraction, severity of the contact, the degree of violence and the general reprehensibility involved.

Switzerland scored on the ensuing power play, with a goal by Kevin Fiala that gave them a 4-0 lead.  Schmid, patched up from the cross-check, would enact additional revenge by scoring just over a minute later to put the Swiss up 5-0.

Rohrer is a 2022 draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens, selected in Round 3, 75th overall. Rohrer has four goals and two assists in seven games during the IIHF Men’s World Championship.  This past season in the Swiss League, Rohrer scored 15 goals and 10 assists in 52 games with the ZSC Lions.   

Officials for the game were refs Tobias Bjork and Riku Brander, with linespersons Nick Briganti and Oto Durmis.