Hockey -- Suspension Lasts 35 Games

Justin McPolin of the Jacksonville Lizard Kings was suspended for 35 games yesterday by the East Coast Hockey League for punching an official.

The league said McPolin, a left wing, used "excessive force toward an on-ice official in the face" in the Lizard Kings' game Nov. 20 against New Orleans.

"In my involvement in ice hockey, and it's been at all levels, I haven't seen anything as bad and as flagrant as that," New Orleans Coach Ted Sator said.

Sator said the incident started when the on-ice officials tried to break up a fight involving McPolin.

"Not only did he manhandle the linesman, he attempted to head-butt him and then he punched him," Sator said.

Even Jacksonville's general manager, Shawn Hegan, didn't defend McPolin.

"If you saw the tape, it's very obvious - he lost it," Hegan said. "We're not going to argue at all what the league handed down on this one."

McPolin, who was assessed a game misconduct, eventually was escorted off the ice by teammates, Sator said.

"One of our guys even asked the ref, `If you need help, would you penalize me if I came over to calm down the situation,' because it was really ugly," Sator said. "The linesman got popped, and he got popped good."

McPolin, a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder, had 281 penalty minutes in 43 games at various levels last season.

In 1996, as a member of the London Knights, McPolin was called the toughest player in the OHL by The Hockey News.

McPolin already has served three games of his suspension.