Hershey Bears defenseman Dylan McIlrath suspended two games by AHL for fighting defenseless opponent
Hershey Bears defenseman Dylan McIlrath was suspended two games by the AHL on Tuesday.
McIlrath was assessed a five-minute major for fighting and handed an “aggressor” game misconduct for his actions in the third period of Hershey’s 4-2 win over the Belleville Senators on February 19. The league reviewed the play and determined it was worthy of a two-game suspension.
The play in question occurred with the Bears up 4-1 with 8:11 remaining in the third period. After Senators forward Brennan Saulnier appeared to run Joe Snively into the boards, McIlrath stepped up and challenged Saulnier to a fight.
Saulnier was either unwilling to fight or just unable to get his gloves off before being knocked out with one punch from McIlrath.
Zack Ostapchuk scored a power-play goal for Belleville on the ensuing major penalty that Ivan Miroshnichenko served for McIlrath. Goaltender Clay Stevenson and the rest of the Bears held on for the rest of the penalty kill though.
McIlrath, Hershey’s captain, will miss a game in Laval on Wednesday and the Bears’ return home against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday. The veteran blueliner has gotten into 41 games in the AHL this season and recorded eight points (3g, 5a).
He has also played one game for the Capitals this season and got into a fight with Vegas Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar.
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