Victoria LW Gomez suspended for season

Mar 7, 2008 - 1:32 AM PRINCETON, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The Victoria Salmon Kings will have to continue their quest for the Kelly Cup without Robin Gomez.

Gomez on Thursday was suspended by the ECHL for the remainder of the regular season and the entirety of the Kelly Cup playoffs as a result of his actions in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Las Vegas Wranglers.

The left wing, who also was fined the undisclosed maximum amount, left the bench midway through the second period of the setback and deliberately injured an unsuspecting opponent with a hard punch. The 26-year-old Gomez was given an instigating minor, fighting major and match penalty for his efforts.

Currently in his second season with Victoria, Gomez has recorded one goal, one assist and 142 penalty minutes in 38 games this campaign. Entering 2007-08, he had surpassed the 200-penalty minute mark in each of his first five seasons in the ECHL.

An affiliate of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks, the Salmon Kings lead the West Division with a 35-17-5 record. They already have clinched a playoff berth but trail the Wranglers for first place in the National Conference by 10 points.