Swiss forward Calvin Thürkauf has been issued a one-game suspension by the IIHF World Junior Championship Disciplinary Panel for a boarding infraction against Sweden’s Adrian Kempe.
The hit came in a blowout win for the Swedes and saw Kempe forced out of the game, though he said after the game he was feeling better and expects to play in Sweden’s next game on Monday against the United States.
Thürkauf’s hit came from behind, driving Kempe’s head into the glass in the Swiss zone. Watch the hit below.
The suspension will leave Thürkauf out of Sunday’s game against Denmark.
He wasn’t the only Swiss player suspended in the game, with Chris Egli earning a three-game suspension for a hit to the head of Sweden’s William Nylander.
Those two suspensions give some credence to Swedish coach Rikard Gronborg saying that the Swiss were out there head-hunting the Swedish team. Joel Eriksson Ek was also bloodied during the game.
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Dustin Nelson is the News Editor for The Hockey Writers. He’s a contributor to Hockey Prospectus, Hockey Wilderness, and writes a column for Rotowire. He’s also written for Gone Puck Wild, Wild Xtra, InDigest, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Tiny Mix Tapes, Prefix Magazine & other publications. Have a tip? Email him at dlukenelson[at]gmail[dot]com.
