An Islanders AHL player was hit with a 10-game suspension on Wednesday for “physical abuse of an official” after an incident during an April 5 game.
Bridgeport Islanders winger Adam Beckman skated directly into a referee during a game against the Charlotte Checkers and shoved him, sending the official flying into the boards before he was down on the ice clearly in pain.
The ref was eventually able to get up under his own power and continued with the game.
The sequence, however, earned Beckman the ban, which means he will miss the final five games of this AHL season and then the first five games of next season with whichever team he is a part of as he set to hit free agency once the season ends.
The winger did seem to be somewhat distracted when he collided with the referee and he seemed apologetic after he saw he shoved the official.
Beckman joined the Islanders organization via a trade with the Devils earlier this year.
In the 12 games since the deal, Beckman has four goals and seven points with Birdgeport.
He was a third-round pick by the Wild in 2019 and has made 23 appearances in the NHL, all of which came with Minnesota.
Though the moment didn’t end up being anything more serious, situations like that do have the chance of being dangerous.
NHL referee Steve Kozari had to be stretchered off the ice after he inadvertently collided with then-Lightning defenseman Haydn Fleury during a game in 2024.
Though the incident was a scary one, Kozari also ended up being OK and returned to action later the same month.
