(Updated) SPHL suspends Simchuk 28 games, Bechard 6 games

The Southern Professional Hockey League has suspended Columbus forward Craig Simchuk 28 games for an incident in Saturday’s game against Peoria. The league also suspended coach Jerome Bechard for six games.

Bechard, who is also the team’s general manager, will be able to perform those duties.

Bechard said that he and Simchuk will not appeal the suspensions.

“I’m the boss and I’m ultimately judged on how I control my guys,” Bechard said.

Peoria coach Jean-Guy Trudel told the Peoria Star-Journal after the game that Bechard ordered his players to injure Rank.

“Bechard ordered his team to hurt Kyle Rank. He will deny it, but he was yelling from the bench (in the first period) he was gonna do it, everyone heard it,” Trudel told the Peoria Star-Journal.

The SPHL said no one from the Peoria organization gave a statement about the incident. According to the Peoria Star-Journal, the SPHL fined Trudel twice for his comments.

Bechard denied Trudel’s accusations.

 “In no way did we mean for this to escalate the way it did, it’s a physical game where emotions can over boil and run high,” Bechard said.

Bechard said he understood why Simchuk was suspended.

“With the severity of the injury, I was expecting a high suspension, just not 28 games,’’ Bechard said. “Craig is good player and great person. Emotions were high and he did something he shouldn’t have. He is remorseful and we are glad Kyle is all right.”

SPHL vice president Doug Price, who is charge of handing out discipline, said there is no place in hockey for Simchuk’s actions.

“Deliberately injuring an opposing player will be met with swift and severe punishment and based on our review, we found no corroborating evidence that Mr. Simchuk was directly instructed to injure Peoria goaltender Kyle Rank.

“Again, while there was no evidence he instructed Mr. Simchuk’s actions, Coach Jerome Bechard bears responsibility for failing to control the actions of his players and contributing to the atmosphere on the bench to the extent Mr. Simchuk felt pressured to do something from the coaching staff. As a member of the league’s Board of Governors, Mr. Bechard has to be held to a higher standard and we feel the unprecedented length of this suspension serves to send that message.”

Both Bechard and Simchuk complained after the game that the Cottonmouths were upset that their goalie, Shannon Szabados, was knocked down in Friday’s game by Peoria and no penalty was called.

Price dismissed that excuse.

“Regarding perceived events involving the Columbus goaltender that Mr. Simchuk referred to in his statement as a rationale for his actions, the Columbus organization submitted neither a request for review of incident nor a grievance form regarding the officiating in this regard from Friday’s game,” Price said. “In addition, review of the game video on Saturday showed nothing that doesn’t occasionally occur over the course of a professional hockey game involving incidental contact with a goaltender.”

Bechard said assistants Brad Prefontaine and John Beirchen will be co-head coaches during Bechard’s suspension. The Cottonmouths play today at Fayetteville.

Simchuk skated into Peoria goalie Kyle Rank from his blindside during Saturday night’s game, forcing Rank to hit the goal post. Rank, who was knocked out, eventually left the Columbus Civic Center on a stretcher. He suffered a concussion and stayed overnight in a Columbus hospital before leaving with his teammates for their game on Sunday.

Simchuk will be eligible to come back on March 19 with nine games left in the regular season.

Simchuk’s suspension is the longest in the Columbus franchise history. Sean McAslan received 18 games for throwing a stick into the crowd while the Snakes were in the ECHL.

Bechard will be able to return on Jan. 8 when the Snakes have a game scheduled at Louisiana.

Bechard’s suspension is not the longest for a Columbus coach. Bruce Garber received a 30-day suspension for going into the stands in Macon, Ga., while the Snakes were in the CHL.

The league had previously announced that Columbus’ Garrett Lockeridge would be suspended three games for leaving the bench and becoming involved in an fight on the ice. He is eligible to return on Jan. 1. The Cottonmouths waived Lockeridge on Monday.

The Cottonmouths will play the next three games with just 16 players. After that, the team can return to its full roster of 18 players.

This has been a disappointing season the Snakes, who are eighth in the nine-team SPHL with a 6-9-4 record for 16 points.

“We have to come together as a team and turn a negative into a positive,” Bechard said. “Again I stand by Craig, he’s a good player and great teammate, We have plenty of hockey ahead of us and so we can’t let this news derail the rest of our season.”

— Matthew Hester contributed to this report.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 1:02 PM with the headline "(Updated) SPHL suspends Simchuk 28 games, Bechard 6 games."