Striker Nick Ritchie has been banned for eight games by Liiga, the Finnish club, for his unfortunate action during Thursday's game.
The Karpat Oulu representative was expelled from the game against TPS Turku for hitting defender Markus Nurmi.
The former National Hockey League (NHL) player completely lost control, grabbed his rival by the neck and threw him onto the icy surface. He then gave him a series of blows. His victim was unable to defend himself and it was ultimately a linesman who stopped the attack.
“This action – hitting an opponent in the neck/head who doesn't know what to expect – is not only completely disrespectful to the opponent, but also violates the 'hockey code,'” the Liiga wrote in its decision.
“Another complicating factor is the fact that in a situation where the opponent is on the ice, Ritchie repeatedly strikes just to protect himself from future hits.”
The 28-year-old Ontario native joined Karpat in late November. The first-round pick (10th overall) of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2014 draft had a professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues in the fall, but was unable to convince the staff that he deserved a contract.
Ritchie played 481 games in the NHL. He played for the Ducks, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Arizona Coyotes and Calgary Flames. He hit the target 84 times and provided 102 assists for 186 points in the NHL.