Kennebunk hockey halted

KENNEBUNK – Kennebunk High School’s hockey season ended two games ahead of schedule because of a fight with a rival team that resulted in the ejection of three Kennebunk players.

“Our feeling was that there is no place for this kind of behavior by our athletes,” said Headmaster David McConnell, who had the team forfeit its last two games against Sanford and Lisbon.

Three Kennebunk players and four from Greely High were given game misconduct penalties after a fight broke out while players were shaking hands at the conclusion of a Feb. 9 game at the Biddeford Ice Arena.

At Greely, officials said the one-game suspension mandated by the Maine Pricipals’ Association following the ejection of a player was sufficient punishment.

A total of six Kennebunk players and an unpaid assistant coach were ejected from games as a result of four separate incidents this season, according to the Maine chapter of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association.

While asserting that they do not condone violence, parents of Kennebunk players said Wednesday that the decision to end the season early seemed excessive.

West said the fight began when a Greely player cross-checked the Kennebunk goalie during the handshaking.

“What will come out of this is a written school policy for all sports at the high school,” said Coach Gary Prolman, whose team was 3-11-1 prior to the forfeits.