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The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) handed down one of the longest suspensions in league history Monday.
Yorkton Terriers forward Greg Mulhall was suspended 25 games for a collision with Melville Millionaires goaltender Berk Berkeliev on Saturday night. Berkeliev left his crease to play the puck near the blue line when Mulhall lifted his head, left his feet, and lunged at the unsuspecting goaltender.
25 game suspension!! https://t.co/ZKltni35li
— The Green Zone (@GreenZoneSK) September 16, 2019
Mulhall was assessed a match penalty for attempt to injure or deliberate injury, and a scrum ensued, resulting in 88 minutes in penalties between the two clubs.
At the time of the incident, Melville was leading Yorkton 6-1.
The game saw 228 total minutes in penalties and a total of 43 infractions. The teams combined for 17 10-minute misconducts as well.
Berkeliev spent the night in hospital and was released Sunday morning.
***Update***
Berk has been released from the hospital. The Melville Millionaire organization and Berk, thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers— Melville Millionaires (@Milshockey) September 15, 2019
SJHL President Bill Chow said in his nine years with the league, he hasn’t seen a suspension of this magnitude handed down to a player.
Although that may seem like setting the tone for the upcoming season, Chow said that wasn’t the intent the league took in the disciplinary action.
“It’s about the incident in itself,” Chow said. “You have to take each incident on its sole basis. I would like to think with what’s been determined in the length of suspension that it would get the attention of players and teams, but that’s not the intent of it.”
Chow said he had no say in the disciplinary process. He said the decision is based on the severity of the hit, the vulnerability of Berkeliev at the time of the hit, and take into account that player safety is “first and foremost.”
Yorkton and Melville have had a long history in the SJHL. Geographically, the two cities are just over 40 kilometres from one another. This was the back half of a home-and-home series between the clubs, but Chow said teams need to set aside rivalries and just play hockey.
“It’s up to the players and the teams to play the game the way the game is meant to be played,” he said. “Of course, there’s rivalries and things may get heated, but it’s important that the players and the coaches take their emotions out of it and play the game to the best of their abilities.”
Mulhall will be out of action until Nov. 22, when he returns from his suspension. Melville has not given an update on injured goaltender Berkeliev, so his return is also undetermined.
Melville and Yorkton will face off again on Oct. 5 in Yorkton at 7:30 p.m., at the Farrell Agencies Arena.