TPS forward Lukas Wernblom has been given a six-game suspension for biting Lukko’s Peetro Seppälä during their game on 24 October. The incident occurred at 7:58, and Wernblom was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for biting.
The disciplinary panel said the bite itself was not visible on video. However, it accepted the linesman’s immediate observation, Seppälä’s reaction and a bleeding wound near his fingernail as evidence that Wernblom had bitten him.
The incident happened during a stoppage in a crowded area in front of the TPS goal. The panel noted that Seppälä had raised his hand to free himself after Wernblom put him in a headlock, but said this did not justify the bite. It described biting as a serious act outside the nature of hockey and considered the wound, the timing and the circumstances when setting the suspension at six games.