NCHC Hockey: Gabe Bast Suspended One Game

Bast action

Friday night at the 03:01 mark of the third period, UND defenseman Gabe Bast checked C.C. forward Alex Berardinelli at center ice with a vicious, high hit. Post-hit, Berardinelli laid on the ice for a significant amount of time. Eventually, Berardinelli would go down the tunnel, and wouldn’t return to the game.

The on-ice officials called a penalty on the play and reviewed the video to decided if a major penalty was warranted. After further review, Bast was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

This afternoon, the NCHC announced that Bast has been given an additional one-game suspension and will miss Saturday’s game against the Tigers. You can see the video of the play below.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) has issued a one-game suspension to North Dakota sophomore defenseman Gabe Bast, in accordance with the conference’s supplemental discipline policy, the NCHC announced on Saturday, Jan. 12. The suspension stems from an illegal hit to the head during UND’s game against Colorado College Friday night at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.

During last night’s game, Bast was assessed a major penalty for contact to the head and given a game misconduct penalty at 3:01 of the third period.

Bast will be required to serve the one-game suspension during North Dakota’s series finale tonight (Saturday) against Colorado College in Grand Forks. Bast is eligible to return for the Fighting Hawks in their series opener at Omaha next Friday, Jan. 18.

People have asked me if I think the hit warrants additional scrutiny. Immediately after seeing the hit, I told the person sitting next to me that he’s going to get suspended for this hit. Yes, this was a legal hit 10-20 years ago. In today’s game, you can’t make this hit. Even in today’s NHL, this hit would probably result call and a suspension from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.

According to the Grand Forks Herald, UND leads the NCHC in game misconducts with seven. The other schools fall in behind, Omaha has six, Minnesota-Duluth and Western have four. Miami and St. Cloud have three. Finally, Denver has one and C.C. has zero.

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