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Joseph LaBate Suspended Three Games

By J.D. Burke

Oct 24, 2016, 18:15 EDTUpdated:

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Photo Credit: Utica Comets Website

Lots of news on the farm today. Just minutes before the Canucks announced they’d called up Jayson Megna and Troy Stecher, the AHL announced that they’d suspended Utica Comets forward Joseph LaBate three games for a hit to the head of an Albany Devils player.

The Utica Comets media release relayed this message from the AHL:

Utica Comets forward Joseph LaBate has been suspended for three (3) games as a consequence of a match penalty for an illegal check to the head of an opponent, assessed in a game at Albany on Oct. 22.
LaBate will miss Utica’s games Wednesday (Oct. 26) vs. Binghamton, Friday (Oct. 28) vs. Providence and Saturday (Oct. 29) at Hartford.

Here’s the hit:

For LaBate, I’m sure the timing of this suspension stings. The former fourth-round pick of the Canucks had a great training camp and nearly made it to their final round of cuts. His physicality, forecheck, and general pugnacity took the team by storm and nearly forced them into a difficult roster decision.

The 6’5″ University of Wisconsin product has yet to register a single point with the Comets this season in his four games. LaBate has 22 penalty minutes this season, 14 of which he accrued Saturday.

LaBate’s suspension ends in time for him to return to the Comets lineup Tuesday, November 1st against the St. John’s Ice Caps.