Story Summary
TPS’s Swedish forward Lukas Wernblom has been suspended for six matches by Liiga after an incident involving Lukko defenceman Peetro Seppälä. The disciplinary decision found that Wernblom bit Seppälä through his playing glove during a battle in front of goal in Saturday’s Lukko game.
Seppälä suffered a bleeding wound to his finger. Liiga’s disciplinary delegation described biting as a rare act with no place in hockey and said it had not previously handled a comparable biting case in its disciplinary history.
Key Facts
- TPS forward Lukas Wernblom has been given a six-game suspension by Liiga.
- The punishment relates to an incident in Saturday’s game against Lukko.
- Liiga found that Wernblom bit Lukko defenceman Peetro Seppälä through his playing glove during a goalmouth battle.
- Seppälä sustained a bleeding wound to his finger.
- The bite was not visible on video, but a linesman witnessed the incident and the disciplinary delegation also considered Seppälä’s reaction and injury reliable evidence.
- The delegation took account of the seriousness of the act, that it occurred during a stoppage in play and the injury caused to Seppälä when setting the six-game ban.
IHM Discussion
The case was resolved on a combination of officiating evidence and the physical aftermath rather than video footage alone. Liiga’s disciplinary delegation said it was fully established that Wernblom had bitten Seppälä, citing the linesman’s observation alongside Seppälä’s reaction and the wound to his finger.
The circumstances began as Seppälä attempted to free himself from Wernblom’s hold by pushing Wernblom’s head with his glove. That did not alter the delegation’s view of the bite or its severity. Its decision emphasised both the nature of the action and the fact that it happened after play had stopped.
Why It Matters
A six-game absence is a substantial punishment for TPS, while the ruling also sets a clear marker for an unusual form of on-ice misconduct in Liiga. The league described biting as rare and incompatible with hockey, and its first disciplinary handling of such a case has produced a significant sanction.
For Wernblom, the decision is a formal finding that carries an immediate playing consequence. For Seppälä and Lukko, the ruling recognises the injury sustained in the incident.