Washington Capitals prospect Hendrix Lapierre was suspended one game by the AHL on Thursday.
Lapierre was tossed from Hershey’s 4-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday after boarding Checkers’ forward Logan Hutsko.
The play in question occurred midway through the third period. As the Checkers exited Hershey’s zone, Lapierre locked in on Hutsko from about 10 feet in Hershey’s zone. The center skated all the way across the ice and hit the winger right in the numbers. Hutsko was bleeding and forced to leave the game.
The board was believed to be retaliatory in nature as Lapierre was hit earlier in the period.
Here were the calls on Lapierre via the AHL’s GameCenter:
10:03 – Hendrix Lapierre, Served by Julian Napravnik Major – Boarding, 5 min PP
10:03- Hershey Bears, Hendrix Lapierre Game misconduct – Boarding, 10 min
The Checkers scored twice on the resulting power play, which also included a brief two-man advantage after a Connor McMichael unsportsmanlike conduct penalty call.
“To be honest, it’s important we hold the guy that hit our guy from behind accountable,” Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear said of the hit per Tony Androckitis. “I have no time for a hit like that. When you see numbers for at least five feet, six feet, and you hit a guy from behind, for me, that’s no good. But I’m glad the power play held them accountable.”
Lapierre will miss Hershey’s game Friday (Apr. 14) at Bridgeport.
Hershey's Hendrix Lapierre has been suspended one game as a consequence of his actions in Tuesday's game vs. Charlotte.https://t.co/DDwkK6Kv4t
— AHL Communications (@AHLPR) April 13, 2023
The Bears center has 15 goals, 15 assists, and 30 points in 59 games this season.
Headline photo: Cara Bahniuk/RMNB
