The ECHL Department of Player’s Safety has issued its first suspension of the year as they’ve suspended Adirondack Thunder defenseman Darian Skeoch one game for his actions in Saturday’s pre-season game vs the Reading Royals. He will miss Adirondack’s season opener on Friday Night vs Norfolk Admirals. Skeoch was given a five-minute major for fighting and a game misconduct after he went after Reading’s Kenny Johnson at the 17:44 mark of the game’s opening period. This is the second time this calendar year that the 27-year-old defenseman has been suspended for an aggressor, as he was suspended two games back in March for being the aggressor. This is a huge loss for the Thunder heading into Norfolk as they lose their captain and a physical body for Friday Night. With only seven defensemen on the roster and Kurt Gosselin not having yet seen any game action, I would expect that Ryan Wheeler will play on the backend in the season opener.
Skeoch is entering his fifth season in the ECHL as he’s put up four goals and 20 assists for 24 points in 174 games with the Indy Fuel, Allen Americans, Savannah Ghost Pirates, and Adirondack Thunder. He’s added one assist in 24 career Kelly Cup Playoff Games. Prior to going pro, the New Liskeard, Ontario native spent parts of three years in the WHL, where he put up four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 145 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Vancouver Giants. He would also spend two seasons in USports with Carleton University, where he put up five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 47 games.
