University of Denver defenseman Patrick Mullen may be suspended for a game or more for using his stick to hit the arm of Minnesota Duluth freshman winger Mike Connolly in the final seconds of last Saturday's Western Collegiate Hockey Association men's game at the DECC.
Mullen's fate was being decided by WCHA and Denver officials Tuesday, supervisor of officials Greg Shepherd said from St. Paul. The Denver senior, the son of NHL Hall of Famer Joe Mullen, is expected to receive the ruling today.
Connolly, from Calgary, Alberta, had pushed the puck toward an empty Denver net with two seconds to play in a 4-2 UMD victory. He then fell to the ice and Mullen wound up and hit Connolly's arm with his stick, which earned Mullen a five-minute slashing major penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct from referees Brad Shepherd and C.J. Beaurline at the game's conclusion.
On Sunday, the referees asked Greg Shepherd (Brad's father) and WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod to look at the incident on video tape. The league has since recommended a sanction to Denver, regarding Mullen, and is waiting to hear if the school has accepted the punishment, Greg Shepherd said.
If Denver doesn't agree with the punishment, the school can appeal the decision to a WCHA executive committee.
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No. 6-ranked Denver (17-9-3), a WCHA co-leader, has a game Friday at Colorado College.
UMD is off this week and will practice for the first time today. Coach Scott Sandelin said he has asked Connolly not to comment on the incident and any injury until after the situation is resolved. Connolly had two goals and an assist in the Denver series, to earn WCHA rookie of the week honors, and is UMD's third-leading scorer with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 30 games.
The No. 12-ranked Bulldogs (15-9-6), fifth in the WCHA, resume play Feb. 20-21 at Michigan Tech.
