Cloutier puzzled over Lepine ruling

The 23-year-old defenceman was assessed a checking-to-the-head match penalty – which is a mandatory four-game ban – during Nottingham's 5-0 win at the NIC on Tuesday after Stingrays' forward Jason Silverthorn had to be carried off the ice after sustaining a concussion.

However, after watching video evidence, the Elite League disciplinary committee regard the incident as a a shoulder-to-shoulder hit changed Lepine's match penalty to "excessive roughness" which carries just a one-game ban.

By contrast, Stingrays have been dealt a huge blow with Silverthorn – who has posted six goals and six assists in eight games – definitely out for this Saturday's home game against Sheffield Steelers and Sunday's trip to Dundee Stars.

The visit of Braehead Clan to Hull Arena next Wednesday is also likely to be too early for the Canadian.

"I find it puzzling that the decision has been changed," said Hull player-coach Cloutier.

"If it was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit then why has Silverthorn got a concussion? We don't know how long he'll be out for, so we're actually suffering more than Nottingham."

Silverthorn said he was gutted to have suffered the injury while he was in such promising form.

He added: "It is really frustrating because I have been feeling really good this year. Over the last couple of years I have kept improving and physically I have been in great condition."

Andy French, the Elite League's director of hockey operations, said: "The disciplinary committee spent hours watching the footage supplied by the Nottingham Panthers, as is mandatory for all match penalties.

"The video evidence shows that the contact is shoulder-to-shoulder, but as Jason Silverthorn was not in possession of the puck, the hit was illegal."

Silverthorn is not Cloutier's only injury concern going into the weekend as he awaits the outcome of medical assessments on forwards Lee Mitchell (knee) and Ryan Lake (broken hand).

Mitchell - whose defenceman brother Craig remains sidelined with a broken arm - skated in the recent defeats to Cardiff Devils and Nottingham but is due to be further assessed by specialists on Friday.