Bracknell Bees star man Frankie Bakrlik has been banned for 18 matches by the English Ice Hockey Association.
Bakrlik rejoined the Bees in the summer to link up with former team-mate and new boss Scott Spearing, and he has rediscovered his top form throughout the campaign.
The 34-year-old has bagged 30 goals this season in the National Ice Hockey League, more than anybody else in the division, but he will play no further part as the play-offs approach and he will also miss a chunk of next season.
Bakrlik was penalised for checking to the head during last month’s match against Basingstoke Bison at The Hive.
He was assessed for a similar offence in November and served a six-game ban.
A statement from the league read, “Under the terms of the NIHL circular issued on November 21, 2017 the disciplinary panel consider this a repeat offence.
“The player is suspended for six games for the offence with five penalty points added to his record. He also receives ten additional penalty points per the terms of the circular.
“The penalty points take the player beyond the thresholds of 15, 20 and 25 points so under he is suspended for an additional 12 games (three plus four plus five).
“This makes a total suspension of 18 games.”
Two of the matches have already been served over the last weekend, but it will still be some time until Bakrlik is back on the ice.
And Bracknell have confirmed they will be making no appeal against the decision.
“The Bracknell Bees are extremely disappointed to learn of an imposed EIHA suspension of 18 games against Frantisek Bakrlik,” read a club statement.
“Unfortunately our video team were unable to cover the game against the Basingstoke Bison and in the absence of that evidence,we are unable to make a significant appeal against this subjective decision.
“We are therefore unable to select Frankie in the forthcoming play-offs campaign, but are determined to overcome this setback.
“Frankie has been an extremely popular figure at The Hive this season and we thank him for his superb support on and off the ice.
“We will miss him and his family over the next few weeks and we wish them all the very best for the future.”
