Harrison cleared to play

EV Zug's Canadian defenceman Jay Harrison will not, as originally thought, be suspended for Friday's crucial home game with seventh-placed Fribourg. Harrison was given a game misconduct and five-minute major penalty on Sunday after getting involved in a fight with Berne right winger Martin Gelinas (who was similarly penalised).

 

This was Harrison's second game misconduct of the season which should have resulted in a one-match ban, but the original penalty assessed much earlier in the season was later rescinded, meaning that Harrison is cleared to play on Friday night.

 

Harrison's availability is good news for Zug. Towards the end of 2008, the 27-year-old Canadian was often the fifth foreign player on the roster where only four are allowed to dress on game day. He struggled with injuries but has been on sparkling form ever since gaining a valuable confidence boost while guesting for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in late December. Since the Christmas break, he has become the solid first-line defender and consistent goal-scoring threat that Zug were hoping for when they signed him, scoring three times in the space of 24 hours earlier in January against Davos and Kloten.

 

Drew Lilley