The KIJHL has suspended 10 people as a result of a New Year’s Eve brawl between the Nelson Leafs and Beaver Valley Nitehawks, including Leafs head coach Adam DiBella.
Leafs Tyler Seminoff, Leighton Partington, Hunter Sperle, and Ryland Mennie have all received eight game suspensions, three for participating in a staged fight and another five for instigating multiple fights. They are scheduled to return to the ice on Jan. 24.
Marko Pavlovic, also of the Leafs, received a three game suspension for participating in the staged fight. He will be eligible to return to the game on Jan. 13.
The KIJHL also suspended Nitehawks Gavin Tritt, Boris Hristov, Spencer Dixon-Reusz and Kaleb Percival for their role in the fight. They will be eligible to return on Jan. 13.
DiBella is also being investigated as to his role in the incident, and as a result he is indefinitely suspended. No date has been give to when the investigation will be completed.
This is Dibella’s first year coaching the Nelson Leafs.
DiBella declined to comment on the game.
Nitehawks president Steve Piccolo says the league has issued a media on the topic, and a fine of $2,500 would be imposed on a club should anything be mentioned.
The Leafs won the game 3-1 to put them three points ahead of the Nitehawks for second place in the Neil Murdoch Division.