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UNO forward Dominic Zombo was suspended for one game by the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for a second-period penalty against Minnesota-Duluth's J.T. Brown on Saturday.

But that's not what upsets Maverick coach Dean Blais.

Blais said Tuesday that he doesn't disagree with Zombo's suspension, but that he also wants the WCHA to discipline Brown. According to his players, Blais said Brown flashed an obscene gesture after the second of his three goals in Friday's victory by the top-ranked Bulldogs.

"You suspended Zombo for a hit, OK. Now, what are you going to do with J.T. Brown?" Blais said. "To me, that's worse than the hit."

Zombo, a freshman from Ballwin, Mo., will sit out Friday's game at Minnesota State-Mankato.

During the second period of the Mavs' 3-1 win Saturday, Zombo was hit with a two-minute minor for roughing against Brown. Blais said the WCHA informed him that, after reviewing the play, it was suspending Zombo for making knee-to-knee contact.

"It was a case of Zombo lining him up and J.T. Brown kind of jumped to get around him," Blais said. "Next thing you know, Zombo is knee on knee. ... I have no argument with that."

Blais said UNO had no intention of retaliating against Brown, a sophomore who is one of the top forwards in the WCHA.

"I'm OK with the penalty," Blais said. "And I'm OK with the suspension. But I'm not OK with learning (Monday), in discussing with my team, what had happened.

"It's funny how the hockey gods will punish a player from the night before. Zombo didn't go out looking for the hit on J.T. Brown. It's not a payback. But things have a way of evening out."

Zombo, son of 14-year NHL veteran Rick Zombo, has appeared in 23 of UNO's 24 games this season, though he hasn't scored a point. He's also had only four penalty minutes.

"Was it an intentional hit? No, but it can't be tolerated," Blais said. "That is a potential injury to a player, whether it's a fourth-line guy or their best forward."

UNO was hit with two five-minute majors and game misconduct penalties in the series, losing forward Josh Archibald in the first period of Friday's game and forward Alex Simonson on Saturday.

Simonson's penalty was assessed at the same time as Zombo's.

With Brown still down on the ice injured and Minnesota-Duluth goalie Kenny Reiter skating toward the bench for an extra attacker during the delayed penalty, the puck, Simonson and Reiter all arrived in front of the UNO bench at the same time.

Simonson and Reiter collided, and Simonson was penalized for charging the goaltender.

Both Brown and Reiter were down on the ice. More roughing penalties were assessed for pushing and shoving after the whistle had blown. Both Brown and Reiter returned to the game — Reiter came back immediately.

"Alex Simonson was kicked out for going to the puck when their goaltender shouldn't have been going after it — his responsibility on a call like that delayed penalty is to go around the puck and get to the bench," Blais said. "He went right at Alex Simonson and got hurt. We weren't sending Alex Simonson at their goaltender."

Blais said he didn't necessarily disagree with the penalty on Archibald. He was charged with checking from behind on high-scoring forward Jack Connolly, a Hobey Baker Award candidate.

"(UNO's Johnnie) Searfoss got checked to the head right by Duluth's bench, so Josh is looking at what type of game is being called," Blais said. "Are we going to be allowed to play physical? They let that go (against Searfoss), so maybe we're allowed to be physical.

"He should have backed off a little bit — the guy turned on him, but Josh should have backed off a little. Judgment call, for the safety of players, there's no argument on that — but what happened two minutes before on the no-call against Johnnie Searfoss?"

Still, Blais was less perturbed by his team's punishment than the belief that Brown got away.

"We're the least penalized team in the league," Blais said. "There's something to Zombo's hit ... discipline. Something should be done with J.T. Brown for discipline. We did not start this.

"It's up to (Assistant Commissioner) Jeff Sauer to make the right call. To me (the right call is) our player out, J.T. out. One was equally as bad as the other. To overlook that on J.T. Brown because Duluth is the No. 1 team in the country is worse than suspending Zombo. The right call? I never complained. I never appealed it. We'll watch and see what happens the other way."

Contact the writer:

402-444-1027, rob.white@owh.com

twitter.com/RWhiteOWH

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