Fife Flyers were dealt a blow on the eve of this weekend’s tough Elite League double-header at home to Dundee Stars and at Hull Stingrays.
Home-hero Tom Muir was handed a three-game ban which counts him out of the weekend matches and the home clash with Hull on Saturday, December 1.
The 28-year-old defenceman fell foul of the disciplinary chiefs after an incident also involving Stars’ skipper Chris Blight in Flyers clash at Dundee Ice Arena last Sunday.
The league’s Department of Player Safety automatically reviewed Muir’s two-minute minor plus 10-minute misconduct penalty he received for checking to the head after 16 minutes of the third period.
A league statement said: “The Department of Player Safety has reviewed this incident and the hit is an illegal check to the head, in which the head was recklessly targeted, with the elbow making principal point of contact with Chris Blight’s head.
“Muir’s elbow is extended when making the hit, there is no intent to play the puck, the hit is avoidable, the opponent did not make any sudden movements just prior to contact and there is an apparent injury to Blight as a result of this hit to the head.
“The Department of Player Safety has upgraded the two-minute minor plus 10-minute misconduct penalty received to a five-minute major plus game misconduct for checking to the head and neck under IIHF rule 124 for this hit and has suspended Muir for three matches.”
Muir, who is in his 14th season with the Kirkcaldy club, is a crucial part of seventh-placed Fife’s defensive unit and will be missed by Fife who have only won two of their last five games.
Sunday’s 5-3 victory at Dundee, who are tenth in the table, was a boost but Dundee will undoubtedly come to Rosslyn Street looking for a lift after a poor run of results which has seen them lose five straight games.
Fife found out Muir’s punishment early yesterday morning minutes before the media release was distributed leaving little time for the club to prepare.
They are considering an appeal but are also thinking over options for the defensive unit ahead of the visit of Dundee who have beefed up their line-up with the inclusion of James Isaccs who was due to touch down in Scotland yesterday (FRI).
Danny Stewart, Fife’s associate player/coach, said: “It (Muir’s suspension) is something we’re going to have to deal with but Tommy (Muir) has been playing some good hockey this season for us.
“Last season Tommy came good at the end of the season and this season he has picked up from where he left off.
“He is a loss to the team but we still have some bodies back there. Other guys will have to step up to cover with some extra minutes.”
Training has gone well this week and Stewart admitted: “It’s always a big game against Dundee and we want a big performance from our guys.
“Last Sunday is gone now and Dundee have brought in James Isaccs on defence to strengthen their unit.
“He played some games last season and we noted that he was a solid player but we did not see enough of him to assess how he was going forward.”