CHL rules no suspension on Weisgerber hit

HIDALGO - The CHL has ruled there will be no discipline levied on Wichita defenseman Curtiss Patrick for his hit Saturday night on Killer Bees forward Trevor Weisgerber.

The Wichita Eagle first reported the league ruled the hit that put Weisgerber, who is the Bees' leading scorer with 19 points, out for at least two weeks with a concussion was clean and didn't merit any suspension.

CHL Director of Communications Bob Hoffman said Tuesday that the league's hockey operations department "saw no reason" to suspend Patrick for the hit, which led to Weisgerber getting knocked unconscious for at least one minute. He also said the fact that no penalty on the play had nothing to do with the decision.

When reached Tuesday afternoon, Bees coach Chris Brooks declined to comment on the league's ruling.

Weisgerber has also been placed on the 14-day injured reserve, retroactive to Nov. 29.

More woe

Not only will the Bees be without Weisgerber for the next two weeks, they'll also be without Rob Voltera through the weekend.

The Bees placed Voltera on the 14-day injured reserve Tuesday retroactive to Nov. 22. Voltera, who has been dealing with an undisclosed injury, has four goals, six assists and a -4 plus/minus rating. He hasn't played since the Bees' Nov. 22 3-2 loss to Odessa.

Without Weisgerber and Voltera in the lineup, the Bees will be without two players who have combined for nine goals and 29 total points. Brooks, while saying the Bees will face a test this weekend, was confident they will survive without Weisgerber and Voltera.

"We'll be fine," Brooks said. "They're two veteran guys that we'll miss but we'll be OK."

Help coming

Maybe part of the reason Brooks is confident that his team will be all right without Weisgerber and Voltera is that he is working to find a replacement, or at least somebody to fill a roster spot.

"I've been working diligently over the last 24 hours. Hopefully we'll have some help on the way here for the weekend," Brooks said. "I'm trying. I'm trying my hardest (to make the move before Thursday)."

Up next

Considering their health issues, the Bees have a poorly-timed three-in-three this weekend. It starts Thursday when they travel to Laredo before coming home to play host on Friday to Corpus Christi then on Saturday to defending CHL champion Arizona.

Brian Sandalow covers the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436. For this and more local stories, visit www.themonitor.com.