The QMJHL has suspended Shawinigan Cataractes defenceman Charlie Roy 15 games for a sucker punch to Victoriaville Tigres winger Maxime Comtois, an Anaheim Ducks prospect.
The incident occurred on Oct. 14 late in the second period in a game Shawinigan won 4-2. After a skirmish along the boards in the Shawinigan end, Comtois was knocked to the ice and his helmet was dislodged. When Comtois tried to push Roy off of him, Roy wound up and punched him in the face. The blow caused Comtois’s head to hit the ice, reportedly causing a concussion.
Roy received a fighting major and game misconduct at 19:32 of the period. Comtois was issued a roughing minor.
In a release, QMJHL director of player safety Raymond Bolduc called Roy’s punch “violent and devastating” and noted the overager is a repeat offender. Comtois’s injury factored into the length of the suspension, according to the QMJHL.
“At no time can the league tolerate this kind of gesture,” the release read.
Roy has two assists in five games this season. He has five goals, 29 points and 125 penalty minutes in 193 career games, spent mostly with Blainville-Boisbriand.
Comtois has nine goals and 11 points in nine games. He has 57 goals and 122 points in 135 career games. He was drafted in the second round (50th overall) by the Ducks in June.
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