HV71 forward Tomáš Rousek received a 10,000 Swedish kronor fine from the Swedish league’s disciplinary board following a diving penalty in the final seconds of a match against Malmö, according to the league’s official website and reports by Jönköpings Posten.
Disciplinary Board Upholds Diving Penalty With 10,000 Kronor Fine
The incident occurred just 61 seconds before the final buzzer with the score tied 4-4. According to video footage cited in local reports, Tomáš Rousek won a puck battle at the offensive blue line and drove toward the net before going down after a stick contact with Malmö defender Eemil Virta. The referee immediately whistled a penalty, sending the Czech forward to the box for simulation rather than penalizing the Finnish defenseman.
According to Jönköpings Posten, Rousek voiced strong frustration over the call following the game. “I was frustrated because we could have played a power play that might have changed the course of the game,” Rousek stated. The player maintained he was held and hooked after receiving the puck, causing him to lose his balance.
The disciplinary board rejected Rousek’s defense, issuing a 10,000 Swedish kronor fine (over 22,000 CZK). “Rousek hooked himself with a Malmö player during a duel and they became entangled for a moment. Subsequently, Rousek decided to fall down in an effort to draw a penalty for his team,” the disciplinary board stated on the league’s website.
HV71 Coach Defends Player Amid Impending Lineup Demotion
HV71 head coach Niklas Eriksson offered indirect support for his forward when speaking to Aftonbladet regarding the league’s supplementary discipline. “If fines are going to be handed out for something like that, there will be really many of them during the season. And that’s probably not where we want to get to. It’s not good advertising for hockey,” Eriksson said.
Did you know? Tomáš Rousek joined HV71 last year following a four-year stint in North America, finishing his debut Nordic campaign as the team’s top playmaker with 28 assists.
Despite the coach’s defense of the player’s on-ice contact, Rousek faces a drop down the HV71 lineup ahead of a Thursday match against champion Skellefteå. The lineup adjustment stems from the arrival of 26-year-old Slovak forward Pavol Regenda, who returned to Europe after failing to secure a desired North American contract, according to team training sessions.
Regenda is slated to take Rousek’s spot on the top line alongside Jan Myšák and Jonathan Ang. Meanwhile, Rousek is expected to slide down to the fourth line. “We got Pavol Regenda and we want to give him good teammates. I’m not going to rate players in the newspaper. We don’t even have a fourth formation, the order is not important to us,” Eriksson explained to reporters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Tomáš Rousek fined?
The Swedish league’s disciplinary board fined Rousek 10,000 Swedish kronor for diving during the final minute of a match against Malmö.
Who did Rousek play for previously?
Before moving to Jönköping last year, Rousek spent four seasons playing in North America.
Why is Rousek dropping in the HV71 lineup?
Coach Niklas Eriksson shifted the forward lines to accommodate newly arrived Slovak forward Pavol Regenda, who joined HV71 after returning from North America.
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