The tough news the UAA hockey team absorbed Monday proved more damaging than the good news it received proved beneficial.
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association suspended senior captain Brett Cameron one game for the major penalty he was issued Saturday night in a 4-2 victory over Wisconsin in UAA's Kendall Hockey Classic. Cameron, the right wing on UAA's first line and also part of its first power-play unit, will sit out Friday's game against Penn State at the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tournament in Fairbanks.
Earlier Monday, the WCHA named UAA freshman left wing Tad Kozun its Rookie of the Week. Kozun bagged two goals against Wisconsin and furnished an assist in his college debut, Friday's season-opening 3-1 win over Maine in UAA's Kendall Hockey Classic.
Cameron was suspended for his third-period check on Badgers freshman defenseman Tim Davison. The 6-foot-3 Cameron delivered a thundering hit on the 5-10 Davison behind the goal line in Wiconsin's zone as the blueliner had his head down and was trying to recover the puck.
The shoulder-to-shoulder hit dislodged Davison's helmet and he fell hard to the ice. Davison required assistance from trainers, eventually left the ice and did not return. Cameron received a major penalty for contact to the head and a game misconduct, and also a minor penalty for roughing. The latter infraction stemmed from a scrum after the play.
Cameron after the game said he thought his hit was clean – he had his elbows down and his stick at waist level when he delivered the check -- and wished Davison well.
"I feel bad,'' Cameron said. "I never want to hurt anyone. I hope he's OK.''
UAA coach Matt Thomas said he learned of Cameron's suspension Sunday night.
"I was very surprised,'' Thomas said. "What they're trying to do is eliminate contact to the head.
"One of the big points of emphasis with contact to the head is hitting an unsuspecting player. I don't think (Cameron's check) fits that category 100 percent, but I get where they're coming from. That's the way hockey is going.''
UAA received a major penalty for contact to the head in each of its Kendall Hockey Classic games. Sophomore right wing Dylan Hubbs received a major in the first period of Friday's win against Maine.
Thomas said Cameron's suspension reinforces college hockey's quest to rid its game of hits to the head.
"It sends a very powerful message to the rest of college hockey,'' Thomas said.
Seawolves notes
UAA killed off both the Hubbs major and the Cameron major without permitting a power-play goal and killed all 11 opposing power plays it faced over the weekend.
Thomas, of course, loved that thoroughness, but pointed out two games is a tiny sample size.
"We killed well,'' he said. "You know what? The penalty-kill usually does well early in the season and the power play is not very good, and then everybody gets the power play going.''
UAA went 1 for 9 on its power play, striking once in six chances against Maine and going 0 for 3 against Wisconsin.
Around the rinks
Penn State junior winger Casey Bailey of Anchorage had one goal and two assists, and went plus-3 in a 7-1 win over UConn on Saturday.
Colorado College junior wing Hunter Fejes of Anchorage had a goal Saturday in a 4-3 win over Alabama-Huntsville and fired 11 shots on goal in a series sweep. CC senior winger Scott Wamsganz of Anchorage had an assist in Friday's 3-2 win over the Chargers.
Nebraska-Omaha junior defenseman Brian Cooper of Anchorage had one assist and was plus-3 in a series split with Minnesota State-Mankato over the weekend.
Freshman winger Alec Butcher of Anchorage, who led the NAHL in scoring last season for the Kenai River Brown Bears, on Sunday picked up his first college point for Sacred Heart with an assist in a 5-1 win over Army. Butcher was plus-2.
Reach reporter Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com and check out his blog at adn.com/hockey-blog