Maple Leafs Player Suspended for Pushing Referee

by TFleming | January 9, 2009 at 01:57 pm

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Mikhail Grabovski of the Toronto Maple Leafs received a 3 game suspension last night for pushing linesman Scott Cherrey. A scuffle had ensued between Grabovski and Montreal forward Sergei Kostitsyn during the third period and as the referee's began to separate them Grabovski pushed him which violated Rule 41.4 of Category 3.

The rule states: "Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall be suspended for not less than three games."

Grabovski and Kostitsyn are both natives of Belarus and former friends but now things have changed as recently they have been exchanging words on a regular basis.

" I think he is not Belarussion now, he is French because I never fight with Belorussian guys," Grabovski said. " I don't know why he wants to fight with me. If he wants to fight, we'll go in the streets and every minute of everyday I'll wait for him and we'll fight."

Kostitsyn shed some light on why these two Belorussians have a grudge stating that, " [Grabovski] talks too much to the Russian newspapers about me and my brother."

Grabvoski's suspension begins immediately and will not be eligible to play until January 16 against Atlanta