Evan Paul was playing his second game in net for the North Vancouver Wolf Pack when a fight erupted in the third period of his team’s Jan. 25 game against the Richmond Sockeyes at Minoru Arena.
Video of the fight shows Richmond defenceman Eithan Grishin over top of Paul with his arms around the goaltender for close to 20 seconds. When Grishin lets go, Paul slumps to the ice.
Grishin, 19, was (previously) suspended 16 games for incidents earlier this season, according to the PJHL website.
On Nov. 16, he received a 13-game suspension — five games for harassment of an official, three games as supplemental discipline, two games after receiving a game misconduct for being the third man in a fight, and three games as supplemental discipline for being a repeat offender.
Fighting is fine. There are rules surrounding fighting in hockey, like there are rules in boxing and mma and tackle football and every other contact sport.
Choking is attempted murder. That should be an immediate lifetime ban from the sport at all levels and criminal charges should be filed.