Release from 25.11.2024

Two games suspension for Patrick Tomasini

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Patrick Tomasini of the HC Meran/o Pircher got suspended for two games due to an incident deemed as an Illegal check to the Head or Neck (IIHF Rule 48) in the match against the Rittner Buam SkyAlps, on Saturday, November 23rd. The 24-year-old Center will therefore miss the home games against Bregenzerwald and Sterzing on Thursday and Saturday.

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Patrick Tomasini (#9) of HC Meran/o Pircher, time 37:19, made contact with an opponent deemed as an Illegal check to the Head or Neck IIHF Rule 48. Based on the video evidence, it is determined the incident to be worthy of supplementary discipline - Category 1 – ‘Careless’ – insufficient attention or thought to avoid harm or error. Liable to happen as a consequence of, by intending to affect an opponent through a reactionary or accidental motion or the incident is deemed careless causing negligence.

Saturday night, November 23rd, in Klobenstein, Meran center man #9 Patrick Tomasini was involved in an incident deemed as a check to the head on Ritten D'man #68 Sebastiano Soracreppa.

As the video shows, after a shot on net by Meran, Ritten attempts to play the puck out of the zone. Tomasini located in the slot area receives a push from behind, causing him to loose balance. In what appears to be a retaliation type move or not, regardless, Tomasini makes a choice to go after Soracreppa, who has nothing to do with the original action, in the form of raising his stick horizontal at a dangerous height hitting him in the head area.

This is a check to the head.

It is important to note, this type of infraction can either be deemed a cross check or head contact. Most often these types of incidents can be sufficiently penalized by the on ice game officials. What raises this incident to the level of supplementary discipline is the horizontal stick, the height of the stick and the proximity to the head of the opposing player. Furthermore, the opposing player does not have possession of the puck and in no way should or could have protected himself. Tomasini had plenty of options to avoid such contact.

Effective immediately, the Alps Hockey League Department of Player Safety has suspended Patrick Tomasini for 2 games.

To summarize:

  • This is a check to the head
  • Primary contact to the head
  • Not a repeat offender

Previous suspensions:
none

Next game Patrick Tomasini (#9) of HC Meran/o Pircher is allowed to play:
05.12.2024 Hockey Unterland Cavaliers vs. HC Meran/o Pircher

DOPS provided the following video: