Correction appended
When rivals like the Penn State ACHA Division I Icers and the Rhode Island Rams square off, emotions run high.
This weekend, the emotions turned into ejections.
"That's to be expected," Icers' junior Brandon Rubeo said. "We have a history of not liking each other."
The dislike escalated so much, Penn State juniors Andrew Magulick and Steve Thurston were ejected after a fight and will both serve a one-game suspension next Friday against No. 5 Delaware. Rubeo will also sit out the next game after being ejected earlier for spearing.
In addition, Rhode Island junior Cory Manley and freshman Bobby Gauthier will also sit out their next game because of the fight.
Rams sophomore Warren Byrne served a one-game suspension on Saturday after receiving a game disqualification during Friday night's game.
Security guards were posted between the teams' respective locker rooms on Saturday to separate Magulick and Manley after they were ejected after an on-ice altercation. Shouting ensued in the locker rooms but no punches were thrown.
"I asked Manley to fight the shift before and he wouldn't," Magulick said.
"As soon as I stepped onto the ice during my next shift, I saw him asking [Thurston] to fight, and I just jumped right in."
Manley and Thurston started the fight with nine minutes left to play in the third period and Gauthier and Magulick joined in seconds later. Magulick was cut below his lip during the skirmish but no other injuries were sustained before the referees were able to separate the players and send them to their respective locker rooms.
"It was one of those deals that we were just establishing dominance I guess," Magulick said.
"We were just heated from the battle."
The hostile weekend was full of trash talking and punches thrown before and after the whistle. Penn State and Rhode Island racked up 163 minutes of penalties over the two games. The list included seven player ejections, two-10 minute misconducts and a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct, among a myriad of other penalties.
Rams coach Joe Augustine spoke with Icers coach Scott Balboni briefly after the game behind closed doors and later emerged to explain how he thought the referees mismanaged the contest.
"I just think they could have nipped that in the bud before things escalated on the ice," Augustine said. "Coach Balboni and I were saying if they stopped that before it escalated, the fights wouldn't have happened. You take the guys, give them 10 [minute misconduct penalties] and they'll sit there and you won't have a problem."
Augustine was pessimistic when asked about how he would fill the open roster spots for the Rams' upcoming game against Arizona State.
"Everybody has been playing poorly," he said. "So I really don't think it matters who I put in there."
In contrast, Balboni didn't appear worried about his team's roster dilemma.
"We have a very deep team here and it'll give other guys the opportunity to play in a key game," Balboni said.
"We're going to have to do some work this week to come up with a game plan that I think will be suitable for the lineup we'll have next weekend, but we'll make adjustments and just take it one game at a time."
This article incorrectly stated the status of some Penn State and Rhode Island hockey players after altercations during this weekend's game.
Penn State's Brandon Rubeo will not receive a suspension from the American Collegiate Hockey Association for Friday's game against Delaware. Rubeo was assessed a game misconduct on Saturday, and under ACHA rules, a misconduct does not warrant a suspension.
Rhode Island's Corey Pinheiro also fought and was subsequently ejected, while teammate Jim Gaffney was given a game disqualification Friday night.
