Peterborough Petes Fined $5,000 As Head Coach Gets Suspended Five Games After Bench Altercation Against Erie Otters

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Peterborough Petes head coach Rob Wilson has been assessed a five-game suspension and a $5,000 after a bench altercation involving Erie Otters, announced on Thursday.

Petes head coach Rob Wilson during the 2023-24 annual year-end ceremony. He signed an eight-year extension with the team as announced on that night. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The incident occurred at the Erie Insurance Arena when the Petes lost 7-2 to the Otters on Sunday.

Just under halfway through the second period, Otters’ Alex Messier went to fight Petes’ Francis Parish during faceoff before the puck drop.

This resulted in Wilson and Kris Mallette, Otter's head coach, going face-to-face between the benches in a heated argument. They had to be separated by assistant coaches and referees.

The Ontario Hockey League also suspended Petes defenceman Grayden Strohack for four games (including a game misconduct) for being the third man into a fight (which results in an automatic two-game suspension). He also received another game misconduct for continuing an altercation.

Erie Otters Head Coach Kris Mallette has been assessed a five-game suspension, while Assistant Coach Ken Peroff has been suspended for two games. The Erie Otters Hockey Club has also been fined $7,500.

Messier has been suspended for nine games with infractions that included being assessed a game misconduct, aggressor and continuing an altercation. He also exceeded the regular season fighting major threshold during the incident which is an automatic two-game suspension.

The Petes return home to face the Ottawa 67’s on Big Brothers Big Sisters Night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday at 7:05 p.m.

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