Fansided

Slovenia’s Ziga Jeglic kicks opponent in neck at IIHF World Championship

By Nic Hendrickson

COLOGNE, GERMANY - APRIL 25: Ziga Jeglic of Ingolstadt skates with the puck against the Koelner Haie in game five of the DEL final play-offs between Koelner Haie and ERC Ingolstadt at Lanxess Arena on April 25, 2014 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
COLOGNE, GERMANY - APRIL 25: Ziga Jeglic of Ingolstadt skates with the puck against the Koelner Haie in game five of the DEL final play-offs between Koelner Haie and ERC Ingolstadt at Lanxess Arena on April 25, 2014 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images) /
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While it’s safe to say hockey is a violent game made for tough people, this isn’t something you see every day.

At the IIHF World Championship game between Slovenia and Switzerland on Saturday night, Jeglic got involuntarily involved in a hit while jumping over the boards for a line change. Instead of doing what most hockey players would do, like wait until his next shift to lay a hit or even punch his opponent there, he decided he would do something a bit unorthodox to fight back.

In what is one of the more disgusting types of retaliation you could see in hockey, Zeglic uses his skate blade to kick Swiss forward Thomas Ruefenacht in the neck. Fortunately enough, there was no apparent damage done to the neck of Reufenacht.

The IIHF Disciplinary Panel has decided to give Jeglic a whopping two-game suspension for this act. Yes, you read that correctly, he is only getting two games for kicking an opponent in the neck with his skate blade. This is a decision that has the IIHF taking heat for not being more stern, and rightly so.

Per the IIHF’s official statement: “Based on all facts ascertained, the Disciplinary Panel determined that while Jeglic indicated that his only intention was to enter the bench as fast as possible, he intentionally and forcefully extended his leg in the direction of Rufenacht, risking to hit him in a vulnerable and dangerous position and so endangered the health of his opponent. Jeglic would have had space to change further away or pull his leg over the board in a different way. There is a clear swinging motion with his skate directed to the neck and head area of Rufenacht.

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Jeglic’s kicking action demonstrated obvious intent as he swings his leg into the bench and attempts to kick his opponent in the head and neck area, a violation of Rule 152-Kicking, and warrants a two-game suspension. This was a very dangerous and reckless action that could have resulted in a serious injury.”

Jeglic’s two-game suspension saw him miss the 7-2 loss to Canada today and will also see him missing the game against Norway on Tuesday. Jeglic will be available to play again when Slovenia take on Finland on Wednesday, May 10th.

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