At 11:00 AM EST this morning, Alexander Perezhogin learned his punishment for his role in a stick-swinging altercation with Cleveland Barons player Garret Stafford during a AHL playoff game last week.
The AHL suspended Perezhogin for 1 year. It means he won’t play in the AHL for the remainder of the playoffs and all the 2004-2005 campaign. This is an unprecedent suspension in the history of the AHL, which was founded in 1936. The AHL also suspended Stafford for 6 games for his stick swing to the back of Alex’s helmet.
The incident took place last week when Stafford and Perezhogin were battling in front of the Barons net, Stafford fell to the ice and delivered a two handed slash to Perezhogin, which failed to connect; Perezhogin replied with his own slash which struck Stafford in the face. Stafford suffered a concussion along with facial lacerations, one which needed 20 stitches to close a wound on his face.
Perezhogin who is in his first year with the Hamilton Bulldogs, was suspended indefinitely after the game. Perezhogin’s Bulldogs are currently down 2 games to 0 to the Rochester Americans in the AHL playoffs.
HW will release a reaction article on the suspension later tonight.
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