The International Hockey League suspended Komets forward Brad MacMillan for one game today for his match penalty in Sunday's game against Bloomington. Vice President of Hockey Operations Brad Jones ruled MacMillan inadvertently hit Bloomington's Matthew Spiller with Spiller's helmet during a fight.
``That's what I felt was warranted,'' Jones said. ``I didn't think any intent was there, but contact was made with the helmet. Brad is an honest, straight-up fighter, and this was just an unfortunate incident.''
MacMillan will sit out Saturday's game at Muskegon. Because he is on suspension, the Komets cannot replace him on the 20-man active roster.
Jones said he reviewed the videotape of a similar 2004 incident involving Flint's Chad Grills before making his decision. Grills received a two-game suspension for hitting a Kansas City player with a helmet during a fight.
MacMillan and Jones spoke this morning.
``He just said that I know the type of fighter you are, this is not somethign that you go out and do. He understands that things happen during a fight. Under the rulesw of match penlty. He's just doing what he has to do. I can live with this.
The Komets also signed forward Mitch Woods today and he'll arrive in Fort Wayne around Jan. 11 and likely won't join the lineup until late January at the earliest. He's working in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
