The WCHA has suspended St. Cloud State forward Aaron Marvin for three games, intimating in a statement that the junior was careless in safe play at Wisconsin on Feb. 20.
Marvin delivered an open-ice check to Wisconsin captain Blake Geoffrion in that game, and Marvin’s shoulder appeared to make contact with Geoffrion’s head.
Geoffrion reportedly suffered a concussion and did not play last weekend at Michigan Tech.
The three-game suspension — Marvin’s second league-issued punishment of the season — carries into the first round of the WCHA playoffs. He will miss this weekend’s home-and-home series against Minnesota State and the first game of a best-of-three home playoff series.
Marvin also was suspended by the league for one game after he injured North Dakota captain Chay Genoway with a hit from behind on Nov. 13.
The league said in a news release that the supplemental action announced Monday came after discussions between the league and St. Cloud State officials.
WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod and Nancy Sampson, the faculty representative from Denver and the chair of the association, issued a joint statement.
“Player safety is of paramount concern to all of us in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and players are responsible for conducting themselves in a proper manner,” the statement reads. “Our student-athletes need to make every possible effort to play within the spirit of the rules and know that they will be held accountable for their actions.
“The Association, through its administrators and officials and member team administrators, coaches and student-athletes, will continue to work together to address concerns in a responsible and constructive way.”
There was no immediate indication from the league whether the punishment was amended following an appeal, although league bylaws prohibit public comment until the appeals process is completed or waived.
