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North Stars’ Downs, Bombers’ Lavallee, each suspended for game 3

Apr 18, 2017 | 12:00 PM

The North Stars will be without their top point producer for game three in Flin Flon tonight, while the Bombers will not have their top playoff goal scorer.

Battlefords centre Coby Downs has been suspended for one game for a gesture made in game two, while Bombers forward Jason Lavallee has been suspended for game three as well, for a comment he made during the game towards Downs.

Although the league’s disciplinary report on their website has not been updated since mid-March, the league confirmed the suspensions late Tuesday morning.

Downs leads the playoffs with 22 points in 10 games, while Lavallee has six goals and one assist in 14 games.

North Stars head coach Nate Bedford said it’s unfortunate his club will be without Downs, but that they’re used to having other players step up whenever called upon.

“It’s disappointing that a suspension would happen like that in the playoffs but the league has a job to do and I have a job to do to make sure things like that don’t happen,” Bedford said. “[It was] an unfortunate circumstance. I know Downs – there was no malicious intent there. [It was the] heat of the moment and I think he had taken some abuse all game and that was just him lashing out. So, a mistake on his part but like we do everytime someone is out of our lineup, someone else steps up, so we expect that to happen tonight.”

Bedford found out about the Lavallee suspension late last night, after being told about the Downs suspension earlier in the day.

He added that he’s not sure quite yet who will fill that top centre roll.

“We’re going to take the day to figure it out. We’re not in a hurry to make that decision,” Bedford said. “Anybody can step into that role and be successful, I’m sure. But we might try a few different things. I don’t know if it’ll just be one thing.”

Puck drop for game three in Flin Flon is 6:30 p.m. with the Ultra-Print pre-game show getting underway at 6:15 p.m. on CJNB/CJNS.

 

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

@NathanKanter11