Days after accusations of criminal mischief at a State College hotel, the Drexel hockey team has been suspended for the remainder of the regular season and all postseason play, Penn State coach Scott Balboni and Navy coach Mike Fox said.
Fox said he received an e-mail yesterday, released by ACHA commissioner Brian Moran and Drexel coach Gregg Marinari, informing him of the suspension.
"The actions of a few players puts a black eye on the sport," Fox said. "I'm sure Coach Marinari will take care of the certain individuals and have his team ready for next season."
The Drexel team caused unspecified damages at the Days Inn Penn State, 240 S. Pugh St., according the State College Police Department. The Days Inn could not be reached for comment by press time last night.
Drexel was in State College for a weekend series against the Penn State ACHA Division I Icers when the alleged incident occurred.
An unidentified man who answered the phone of a number listed as the Drexel coach's, declined to comment.
"I have no comment. Thank you," the man said, hanging up when told he was speaking with a reporter.
Penn State coach Scott Balboni said he didn't know much about the incident other than "a few kids were messing around after hours," but said he found out early yesterday about the suspension, which includes four regular season games and the ESCHL and national tournaments.
With Drexel out of the conference tournament, the format has been changed to facilitate the five remaining teams. Penn State will have a bye to the semifinals and play the winner of the Navy-Scranton game, while both Rhode Island and Delaware will receive byes to play each other in the other semifinal game.
"The suspension benefits Rhode Island come playoff time because they will get a bye instead of having to play Drexel in the first round," Balboni said. "Instead of playing three nights in a row, they will potentially only have to play two."
Told of Drexel's punishment, Penn State forward Nate Obringer said the sanctions were "definitely unexpected."
"I don't think they deserved what they got," Obringer said. "It's things you do growing up, it's a prank. I don't know all the details either -- it could have been to another level. But it sounds like they tried to make an example out of it."
