Petes protest no call on hit to Puempel
Video clip sent to OHL
The Peterborough Petes sent an email and video clip to the OHL Friday asking them to review Alex Gudbranson’s hit on Matt Puempel at 3:10 of the third period on Thursday.
Petes’ GM Dav e Reid said Puempel is “out indefinitely” with a concussion. The Petes believe Gudbranson’s hit on Puempel, which was not called a penalty, was a head check. Ironically, Puempel was returning from an eight-game suspension for a head check.
Matt got hit directly on the chin,” said Reid. “We feel it was definitely a shoulder or triceps follow through with the arm to Matt’s chin. Matt, to his credit, didn’t fall down on the hit. It was two big bodies colliding, but there is no question he took the hit directly to his chin. He came off the ice not feeling well.
“With all the checks to the head which have gone on this year, whether intentional or unintentional, this was clearly a hit which hit Matt right on the chin.”
Puempel was taken to hospital following the game. Reid said there is no timetable for his return to the lineup.
“We’ll follow the protocol,” said Reid. “When Matt is symptom free and when he clears the online baseline testing the league mandates, he’ll be cleared for contact and we’ll follow the protocol. He’s definitely out for the weekend. He has to be at least 48 hours symptom free.”
Kingston also lost Nathan Cull to a concussion after a hit from the Petes Derek Mathers on Thursday. Mathers was assessed a minor penalty on the play. He was in the Petes’ lineup Friday. With Gudbranson out, Ennismore native Jeff Braithwaite was back in Kingston’s lineup after being scratched Thursday.
***** The OHL trade parade continued on Friday with two significant deals.
The Sarnia Sting acquired goalie J.P. Anderson from the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors in exchange for three secondround and two fifth-round draft picks. The Ottawa 67’s picked up former first overall draft pick John Mcfarland from the Saginaw Spirit for 67’s top pick Dave Perklin and a fourth-round draft pick. Stephen Nosad missed Friday’s game and is also expected to sit out Saturday with a hip flexor injury sustained at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Trevor Murphy returned to the lineup from that tournament Friday as did world junior players Lino Martschini and Peter Ceresnak.
The Petes used call-ups Cole Murduff, Cody Thompson and Riley Hennigar to fill out the roster. Jeremy Gottzmann cleared OHL waivers and has joined the OJHL’S Burlington Cougars. Gottzmann had three assists in his Cougars’ debut Thursday, a 6-2 win over Brampton. He had two assists in 19 games for the Petes this season.