Bombers leading scorer Cole Duperreault will stay in the team's lineup after all. After a whirlwind 24 hours, Duperreault was suspended, then unsuspended following a league review.
The forward's fate was up in the air following an incident during the Bombers' Nov. 2 road game against the Melfort Mustangs. In the third period, with six minutes to go before the final whistle, Duperreault was given a five-minute major and a match penalty for what the league's game sheet originally described as "physical harassment of officials".
Duperreault came into the offensive zone to chase down a loose puck with an official between him and the puck - Duperreault appeared to make light contact skating past referee Jordan Carriere, whose arm went immediately up to call a penalty. Duperreault was ejected and the Mustangs were given a five-minute powerplay late in the third period - the Bombers killed the 5-on-4 off en route to a 2-1 win.
In the morning of Nov. 3, the SJHL put on its official website that Duperreault would be “suspended indefinitely” due to the incident during the Melfort game. The Martensville native would not stay that way for long though, as later in the day the SJHL announced that the suspension would be overturned by the league, along with the match penalty Duperreault was assessed. The match penalty by itself would have carried a three-game suspension.
“The Department of Player Safety and Standard of Play reviewed an incident from the third period of last night's game involving Flin Flon and Melfort. After extensive video review and discussions with multiple personnel inside of and outside of the SJHL, there is enough conclusive evidence indicating that the alleged did not occur,” reads a statement sent out by the league at 6 p.m. local time Nov. 3.
“The match penalty and suspension to Duperreault has been rescinded.”
The changes mean that Duperreault will be eligible to play in the Bombers’ next game Nov. 10. In 17 games this season, Duperreault leads the Bombers with 12 goals and 23 points.
