Taylor Bilyk and BJ Duffin returned to the Olds Grizzlys lineup on Oct. 26 after each served two-game suspensions for their part in an after-the-game altercation on Oct. 19 in Whitecourt against the Wolverines.
The Alberta Junior Hockey League game featured 314 minutes in penalties and included Brett Hopfe, the Grizzlys head coach and Joey Bouchard, the Wolverines head coach, each serving a subsequent one-game suspension as a result of the two teams' chippy play. The Grizzlys lost the game 3-2.
Three players from the Wolverines received suspensions for the after-the-game altercations, including a five-game suspension to Matthew Abt for instigating the incident. Another Wolverine player, Colten Mayor, was suspended for two games as a result of a separate kneeing incident during the course of the game.
Kyle Moore, a forward for the Grizzlys, received a three-game suspension for a match penalty during the after-the-game incident. He could return to the Grizzlys lineup on Oct. 30 in Sherwood Park against the Crusaders.
The game also featured another line brawl in which everyone on the ice got involved in an after-the-whistle altercation in the second period.
“I felt like it was a fairly one-sided game as far as us getting a lot of penalties,” Hopfe said following a 2-1 home loss Oct. 26 to the Calgary Canucks. “I think their team was taking a lot of liberties with our team and we took matters into our own hands and stuck up for each other. I'm fine with that,” he said.
The game was the final time the two teams will square off against each other in the 2013-14 season, unless they oppose each other in the playoffs for the league championship. Hopfe said that may be fortunate.
“I'm sure things would be a mess next time we met up. We made sure that if we do meet them in the playoffs, they're going to remember that,” he said.
