CHL: Adler Mannheim and Larkin heavily critized in Sweden

Adler Mannheim was close to a surprise in the first round of the CHL playoffs leading 1-0 away to Brynäs and holding on to an overall tie with three minutes left of the game. But Brynäs turned things around after a 5 on 3 power play goal and an empty netter.

But afterwards it was all about what happened after the goals when Mannheim and especially Thomas Larkin showed really bad sportmanship after the game slipped out of their control. With just 25 seconds Larkin made a brutal hit blind side on Daniel Paille who was no where close to the puck. Paille suffered a concussion and remained lying on the ice before he could be helped of the ice.  Larkin was given a double game misconduct (interfeerence and roughing) and in the last second of the game Nicolai Goc added to the penalty minutes with a elbowing against the head of a Brynäs’ player. That was Adler Mannheims fourth game misconduct as also earlier Mark Stuart was given one for roughing.

You can see Larkin's hit here (external link)

Larkin was later given a four game suspension by the CHL but there were many voices in Sweden that the punishment should have been much harder. ”One of the ugliest things I’ve seen on a Swedish ice for a very long time” the Swedish TV commentary said. 10, 20 games or even reminder of the season was given as suggestions for a fair suspension by different hockey experts in Sweden. The four game suspension given now is only for CHL, we have no information about if also a suspension in the DEL is possible.

There were also a lot of criticism aginst the team management with head coach Sean Simpson who failed to control his team and made no effort to apologize his player’s behaviour, instead he was seen smiling on the bench. Simpson was also given a one game suspension by the CHL just as Goc.

The quarter final setup is now ready and the main surpsrise from the first round is that double champions Frölunda lost to Liberec and is out of the tournament. The quarter finals will be played like this:

JYP–Brno
Brynäs–Trinec
Växjö–Bern
Zürich–Liberec

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