CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Charlottetown Islanders will be without their captain for the next three games.
Pierre-Olivier (P.O.) Joseph was handed a three-game suspension on Monday night for a slash at the end of Sunday’s contest in Sydney, N.S.
With the Islanders trailing the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 4-2 and about 30 seconds left, Declan Smith and Joseph went after a loose puck in the Isles zone. Smith won and had the empty net to shoot at when Joseph slashed him in the hands. Smith deposited the puck into the cage to ice a 5-3 victory.
“It was a two-handed slash with a big swing and force on the opponent’s forearm and hands,” the league said in handing down its decision.
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The league said it was Joseph’s first offence and Smith was not injured.
Joseph will be out for tonight’s home game with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan and road games Friday at Blainville-Boisbriand and Saturday at Quebec. He will be eligible to return Sunday in Shawinigan.
Rookie forward Nikita Alexandrov is also out for tonight’s game with a bruised ankle. He is questionable for the weekend.
