The National Lacrosse League suspended two players and disciplined 30 others Wednesday after a bench-clearing brawl between the Toronto Rock and Buffalo Bandits earlier this month.
Bandits forward Rusty Kruger and Rock goaltender Pat Campbell received one-game suspensions for leaving their benches to join the fight during a pre-season scrimmage on Dec. 15.
Thirty other players were given game misconducts and 16 of those players also received undisclosed fines for leaving their benches.
A player who accumulates three game misconducts over the course of the pre-season and regular season receives an automatic one-game suspension.
Campbell will miss the regular-season opener on Jan. 8 unless an appeal is filed. Kruger has been released by the Bandits and would serve his suspension prior to playing his next NLL game.
The game at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena was called in the third quarter after the brawl with Buffalo leading 5-4.
The brawl saw players coming off the bench and pairing off across the playing surface, with both goalies joining the melee. Video of the incident shows it started after two players went at it near the Rock goal when a Bandit forward took offence at a cross-check from a Toronto defender as play resumed from a stoppage.
The three officials eventually restored order and sent the players to their benches.
Game Misconducts:
Buffalo: Joe Smith*, Brett Bucktooth (2), Chris Corbeil, Jason Crosbie*, Chad Culp, Tom Montour, Holden Vyse*.
Toronto: Tim O'Brien, Ryan Dilks*, Jeff Gilbert, Stephen Hoar, Stephan Leblanc, Rob Marshall, Brice Queener*
Game Misconduct & Fine (for leaving bench):
Buffalo: Elijah Printup*, Kyle Schmelze*, Steve Priolo, Wayne VanEvery*, Travis Irving, Ian Llord, Isiah Kicksnoway*, Brandon Francis, Jeff Powless
Toronto: Blaine Manning, Pat Saunders, Geoff McNulty*, Damon Edwards*, Kyle Ross, Glen Bryan*, Mike Hobbins
One-Game Suspensions:
Buffalo: Rusty Kruger*
Toronto: Pat Campbell
*denotes players not on team's current 23-man active roster
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