Moncton's Malatesta suspended seven games for Laberge hit
Moncton Wildcats defenceman Zachary Malatesta was suspended seven games by the QMJHL on Tuesday for his check on Victoriaville Tigres star Pascal Laberge. The hit left Laberge, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, with a concussion.
The hit occurred at the 6:05 mark of the first period during the Wildcats’ 5-2 loss to the Tigres on Saturday. A James Povall rebound from a shot from the right circle wrapped its way up the boards to the left point of the Victoriaville zone. Laberge picked up the puck and turned to skate out of the zone with speed. Malatesta got low and met him at the left point, countering the oncoming forward’s speed with his own, crunching him head on and sending the Tigres star to the ice, as Laberge’s stick flew up in the air on impact. Tigres forward James Phelan jumped immediately into the fray to avenge his fallen teammate, fighting the Wildcat blueliner. The call on the ice was a major penalty for checking to the head and a game misconduct. Was it warranted? Have a look for yourself:
Coup à la tête sur Pascal Laberge des @TigresVicto . Combien de matchs de suspensions pour Z. Malatesta des @monctonwildcats ? #lhjmq pic.twitter.com/aN1KC5vFpS
— Pascal Lévesque (@Pascal_Levesque) October 16, 2016
Laberge is out indefinitely with a concussion. He is in full rest mode, off of school and not practicing, as of Monday. The Flyers second rounder in 2016 has four points in seven games so far this season. He had 68 points in 58 games last season with the club, and had five points in five games in a five-game loss to the Wildcats in the first round of the playoffs. The second-overall pick of the Gatineau Olympiques in 2014, Laberge was traded to Victoriaville in the 2014-15 mid-season trading period.
Similar spot, similar hit last season
The hit is eerily similar to one Malatesta laid on Rimouski Oceanic forward Tyler Boland last season. Boland was out for a couple of weeks as a result of his injuries, and Malatesta received nothing more than a slap on the wrist, other than the boarding major penalty and misconduct he received in the game. Malatesta was facing Boland head on in the hit last season, while Laberge is at more of an angle. Here’s the hit on Boland last year, for comparison.
@golennox @jeffguy10 @mirtle @walsha @YouTube Not same hit. But also predatory.
— SeanFitz_Gerald (@SeanFitz_Gerald) October 17, 2016
La @LHJMQ doit envoyer un message fort dans le dossier Laberge. C'est rien de moins qu'une agression. Difficile de quantifier... #malatesta
— Frédéric Beaulieu (@fredbeaulieu) October 17, 2016
@CBSE_pbp @NHLFlyers But what can we do ? We can't bring back Laberge even with a 20 games suspension for Malatesta !
— Pascal Lévesque (@Pascal_Levesque) October 17, 2016
@walsha Clean hit.
— It's Called Bruins.. (@BigBadBruins94) October 16, 2016
@walsha @labbyluc that boys gotta keep his head on a swivel. Zmals the best hitter in the league hands down. Great hit. #LeaguesGoneSoft
— B-ill (@rendog55) October 17, 2016
@walsha @tpanotchCSN as this is junior and kids' career can quickly be ended. This good should be Susp'd for as long as Laberge is out!!!!!
— Nelson Santos (@n_santos25) October 16, 2016
Headshot by Monctons' (QMJHL) Zachary Malatesta on Flyers prospect Pascal Laberge is sickening and revolting. No place in game for this. pic.twitter.com/avWJhopBoY
— Allan Walsh (@walsha) October 16, 2016
Hey, @gcourteauhockey - are we going to allow this insanity to continue until someone dies on the ice? This is a 2nd offender. #Enough https://t.co/QR6yF4km7F
— Allan Walsh (@walsha) October 16, 2016
It's worth noting that Laberge is a Walsh client at Octogon Hockey. Malatesta has been suspended three times before in his QMJHL career, once in 2014-15 for kneeing and twice in 2015-16 - once for removing his helmet and once in the playoffs for abuse of official. Wildcats suspensions piling up Malatesta is the third Moncton player to be suspended in the past week. In the Wildcats’ 10-1 loss to the Charlottetown Islanders last Monday, blueliner Kody Gagnon was given a five-game ban for his hit to the head of Jake Coughler, and captain Lane Cormier got a two-game vacation for a high stick. Gagnon, recently acquired from the OHL’s Barrie Colts, found instant chemistry with Malatesta as a solid pairing for the young Moncton team, but both will sit, as Gagnon still has two games to serve coming into the weekend. Gagnon has two points in three games with the Wildcats, equaling his OHL career totals over three seasons. Malatesta, an alternate captain, has three points in nine games, and was invited to New York Rangers’ camp this past summer.