Dirty hit leads to multi-game suspension for Kitchener Rangers' captain, Kings' prospect
A brutal blind-side hit has led to a multi-game suspension during the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. Francesco Pinelli, a 2nd-round pick of the LA Kings in 2021 and captain of the Kitchener Rangers, will sit out the next three post-season games after catching an opponent with a hard hit a split second after he jumped off the bench.
The opponent in question was Oliver Peer of the Windsor Spitfires. Peer was changing on the fly and had barely landed on the ice when when Pinelli drilled him. Peer was woozy as he left. He had no idea this hit was coming and had no time or chance to prepare for it at all.
Pinelli was given a five minute major and a game misconduct for the hit. His team currently leads Windsor 3-0 nothing in the series. Pinelli will not be eligible to come back to the lineup until game 7, if it's needed.
This isn't Pinelli's first suspension in 2022-23. He was handed three games last November for a crosscheck to the head of Ryan Abraham of the Spitfires.
| POLL | ||
Is three games the right call here? | ||
| Yes | 11 | 18.3 % |
| No, should have been longer | 6 | 10 % |
| One to two was good | 13 | 21.7 % |
| No suspension. He couldn't avoid the hit | 30 | 50 % |
| List of polls | ||
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