Moments after sustaining a huge hit, Brent Parker retaliated with one of his own.

The Regina Pats' GM was fuming Monday night after he learned that the WHL had suspended Pats leading scorer Jordan Eberle for one game while checking-line winger Brett Leffler received a three-game ban. Regina has also been denied a request for supplemental discipline on Swift Current Broncos captain Zack Smith for his kneeing penalty on J.D. Watt.

The Pats and Broncos are tied 1-1 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal, with Game 3 slated for tonight in Swift Current.

"I'm extremely, extremely disappointed," Parker said of the league's ruling. "I don't understand the logic that was given to me on our suspensions. It baffles me on so many different levels. It's just nonsensical altogether, but we have no recourse. The powers that be have spoken."

Leffler has already missed one game for an unpenalized hit on defenceman Michael Wilson, who suffered a concussion. Eberle received a boarding major and a game misconduct in Game 2 for his check on blueliner Jesse Dudas, who's out with a broken wrist.

The league ruled that Eberle's check wasn't a hit from behind, but it still fell within the scope of a boarding penalty when Dudas was propelled awkwardly into the wall.

"I don't think we're playing non-contact hockey here," said Parker. "I think you're allowed to hit, but unfortunately we have a guy who's getting suspended for what we were told was a clean hit."

Asked to relay the explanation he received on the suspensions, Parker said "in a nutshell" it's because the Broncos' players were injured. The Pats' GM also suggested that such a ruling sets a "dangerous" precedent.

"I feel bad that two of their kids got hurt," noted Parker. "I've been down that road with guys getting hurt in the playoffs. I wouldn't wish it on anybody. But sometimes guys get hurt on clean hits too. I don't want to be insensitive to the kids' injuries but I have to stand up for my kids too and what's right."

Eberle's suspension is a huge blow to the offensively challenged Pats, who are now without the trigger man on their No. 1 line and top power-play unit. Eberle scored 42 goals during the regular season -- ranked third in the league -- while accounting for nearly 20 per cent of Regina's offence.

Leffler is one of Regina's most physical players as well as a top penalty killer.

While acknowledging the losses as significant, the Pats refuse to brand their suspensions as a major setback.

"It's not that big of a concern," insisted captain Logan Pyett. "Obviously they bring something special to the table but the young guys that we have and the guys who haven't played as much have their own special attributes that they're going to (add) to the lineup. It's not going to affect our psyche too much. We're just going to have to be mentally prepared and go in expecting a battle and have our best game."

Pyett also chuckled at the suggestion that the Pats are a dirty team.

"Eberle is probably the least-aggressive guy you're going to find in the league," scoffed the veteran defenceman. "He's not going out there looking to hit and hurt people. It's unfortunate what happened to Dudas but Eberle throws a hit and he goes in (to the boards) funny. There's nothing Ebs can do about that. It's a contact sport. You never like to see it but it's part of the game.

"There have been plays on both sides where it maybe could be classified as dirty, but it's a battle. They have a big team, we have a big team, stuff is going to happen. We're not going to tone anything down next game because of the suspensions. We're just going to keep doing the same thing."

Head coach Curtis Hunt agreed.

"It doesn't matter to me," he said of the accusations out of Swift Current. "I can sit there in the office and spend my time pulling clips on stuff that I think was questionable from their side. You know what? Kids are playing to win. You hate to see kids get hurt but injuries are part of the game. I don't feel that my players had that intent. The intent was to be physical.

"That's hockey."

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