Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A junior hockey player punched a referee in the face during a game, was banned for life from the league and is being investigated by police, a Foxborough Police Department spokesperson said Tuesday.
The incident occurred in the first period of the South Shore Kings' United States Premier Hockey League game against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights on Sunday at Foxboro Sports Center.
Kings left wing Paul Halloran, 20, held the puck on the right flank at the start of the sequence and went around a defender before he skated into a nearby official.
Halloran first shoved the official and skated away. The referee then motioned for Halloran to go to the penalty box as another official talked to the forward.
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Halloran then skated up to the initial official and thew a right-handed punch into his face. The referee fell to the ground as Halloran was escorted off the ice.
"The action taken [Saturday] by a USPHL player is completely unacceptable in the USPHL," league commissioner Bob Turow said in a statement. "The USPHL has zero tolerance for any player striking any official, at any time. The player in question's actions have led to a lifetime ban.
"The incident is currently being investigated by local authorities and as such the USPHL will have no further comments at this time."
Players in the USPHL are NCAA and NHL hopefuls usually between 17 and 20 years old. The Knights scored three goals after Sunday's incident and cruised to a 3-0 victory.
