The Toronto Maple Leafs-Montreal Canadiens rivalry has spilled down to the AHL level.
Five players from the NHL teams' affiliates were suspended Saturday as a result of multiple incidents between the Toronto Marlies and the Laval Rocket, the AHL announced.
The Rocket's Alex Belzile (three games), Laurent Dauphin (three), Joshua Roy (three) and Sammy Blais (one) and Marlies' Michael Pezzetta (three) all received supplemental discipline for their actions at the end of the second period in Friday's 5-2 victory for Laval.
The incident started when Pezzetta caught Marc Del Gaizo with a high check with 1.5 seconds left in the frame. Rocket forward Florian Xhekaj took exception to the hit and proceeded engage in a spirited tilt with Pezzetta.
Immediately after the fight, the Rocket bench engaged with Pezzetta as he skated by, causing a major brawl between the two teams up against the bench.
The AHL said that Pezzetta was suspended as a "consequence of an illegal check to the head of an opponent."
The former Montreal Canadien and Rocket players is eligible to return to the Marlies' lineup on Dec. 26.
Meanwhile, Belzile, Dauphin, Roy and Blais were suspended for "consequence of leaving the players' bench during an altercation."
The Rocket players can return on Dec. 27, while Blais is eligible on Dec. 18.
