McNaughton handed ‘bullying’ suspension
By Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury –
The Ontario Hockey League announced the suspension late Thursday afternoon.
The incident took place last Saturday in Owen Sound. Upset over some slashes Owen Sound Attack forward Joey Hishon had delivered earlier in the game, McNaughton dropped his gloves and delivered several punches at Hishon, who did not drop his gloves.
“We’ve established five games as a standard, or as a precedent, as it relates to bullying,” OHL vice-president Ted Baker said Thursday.
“We know Cody is a tough player and he’s also a skilled player. He certainly brings a number of things to the game, but some things just aren’t acceptable,” Baker said.
McNaughton got the news as the team hit the ice for practice at the West End Community Centre in advance of this weekend’s Eastern Ontario road trip that sees games in Kingston, Belleville and Ottawa.
After practice the Etobicoke native wasn’t too pleased.
“I guess I got what I deserve,’ he said. “I hurt the team. It was pretty selfish.”
McNaughton, who admitted he just snapped at the time, had hoped to at most get a two-game suspension.
