BOUCHERVILLE, Que. - Chad Pietroniro of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar was suspended for the first 14 games of next season Tuesday by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for head-butting an official during a fracas with the Val d'Or Foreurs following a playoff game.
The incident occurred moments after Val d'Or eliminated the favoured Drakkar with an overtime goal in the seventh game of their quarter-final series April 21.
Baie-Comeau players took umbrage with a video shown on the arena scoreboard, reportedly of Drakkar goalie Philippe Cadorette smashing his stick after allowing a goal.
Pietroniro got into a fight with the Foreurs' Jeremy Fraser. When he was escorted to the Drakkar bench, Pietroniro turned and headbutted a linesman. He was given a major penalty.
The normal suspension for abuse of an official is 20 games, but the league reduced it to 14 because of " the frustration caused by the inappropriate video, the fact the official was (not) injured and that the headbutt wasn't at maximum force," a league statement said.
The Drakkar, who were gesturing at the scoreboard after the game, did not take part in the traditional post-series handshakes.
Val d'Or had already been fined by the league for the "inappropriate" video.
Pietroniro, 18, a native of Prescott Valley, Arizona, played 19 regular season games for Baie-Comeau this season. He had one assist and 64 penalty minutes. He played seven games for Val d'Or last season before leaving to play in the USHL.
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