An ex-cat will be out of his cage soon.
Former Prince George Cougar Kody McDonald’s indefinite suspension by the Western Hockey League (WHL) is now a six-game suspension following a decision made by the league Wednesday (April 3).
This is in response to the match penalty the 20-year-old received at the 7:58 mark of the third period in Game Four of the Victoria-Kamloops series on March 27.
The Royals’ Forward shoved his stick into the face of Zane Franklin while on the bench, also hitting a Blazers’ coach, and was handed an indefinite axe from the playoffs until the end of the series.
Here’s video of tonight’s stick swinging incident at bench. Mcdonald gets Franklin and trainer Toledo Robinson. Broke his glasses. How this didn’t result in serious injury is a miracle. Match penalty. pic.twitter.com/Gcwwo5agtZ
— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) March 28, 2019
“The WHL takes incidents of this nature very seriously,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “Actions of this kind are unacceptable to the WHL.”
After Victoria defeated Kamloops in the six games, McDonald’s suspension was re-evaluated by the league’s Director of Player Safety.
He has since served two of those six games and will be able to return to the ice on April 13 for Game Five should the Royals and their next round opponent, the Vancouver Giants, each win a game before then.
Franklin spoke with the media after the March 27 game and didn’t go into detail on what got McDonald heated on the bench.
"I think it was a little a run-of-the-mill," said Franklin. "He didn't like it obviously, whatever I said. But we'll keep that between the two benches. Maybe I'll use it again, so I don't want you guys to know."
WHL announces six-game suspension for Royals' McDonald.
— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 3, 2019
DETAILS 📰 | https://t.co/0oF0sIUANr pic.twitter.com/TP46axJAa1
McDonald played 232 games with the Prince George Cougars, including 68 in the 2016-17 B.C. Division banner season, while earning 126 points and 369 penalty minutes.
The Royals begin their second-round series with the Giants tomorrow (April 5) in Vancouver.
- with files from Eric Thompson, Kamloops Matters
