Ex-NHLer Brendan Lemieux Suspended Four Games For Punching Ref During Game In Switzerland

Brendan Lemieux was one feisty character during his 7 seasons or so in the National Hockey League, but that feistiness got him in a bit of trouble overseas.

Lemieux — the son of long-time NHLer Claude Lemieux — played for the Jets, Rangers, Kings, Flyers, and Hurricanes but started this season with the Canes' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

However, after a dozen games over there, Lemieux decided to move overseas and has been playing for HC Davos in Switzerland's National League after the Hurricanes terminated his deal back in December.

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That's who he was suited up for this week when he earned himself a four-game suspension after accidentally catching an on-ice official with a punch during a scrum.

HC Davos was taking on ZSC Lions in a playoff series when a scuffle broke out in front of the Davos net. Lemieux — not being one to shy away from this sort of thing — partnered up with ZSC Lions forward Chris Baltisberger.

The two traded a couple of shots, but one of those shots from Lemeiux caught linesman Dominik Altmann in the jaw.

According to Scouting The Refs, the linesman needed medical attention afterward and was replaced by another linesman.

While that looked completely unintentional, it still landed Lemiuex in a whole heap of trouble.

"It was simply a scramble in front of the net, as often happens. Unfortunately, the linesman's head came between us. I hit him, not hard, but hard enough." Lemieux told German-language Swiss newspaper Blick, according to a translation. "I know nobody wants to see that. The refs are doing their job. It was just an unfortunate position that happens sometimes."

Lemeiux was suspended for four games for the incident, which rules him out of the rest of the series against ZSC Lions, which has only a maximum of three games left. He'll serve the rest next round if Davos moves on.