Arizona State’s Jacob Wilson Suspended for NCAA Regionals

On Saturday evening, Arizona State defenseman Jacob Wilson received the rare in-game game disqualification penalty for this brutal flying elbow to the head of Minnesota’s Sampo Ranta in the second period of Arizona State’s 5-2 loss to Minnesota.

Surprisingly, Ranta was able to finish the game after that hit, though he did receive numerous stitches to his chin as a result of the play.

The game disqualification penalty Wilson received automatically meant that he was ineligible for Arizona State’s next game. On Monday, the WCHA—which handles supplementary discipline for the conference-less Sun Devils—added a second game to that suspension, per a release from Arizona State.

That means Wilson will be ineligible for Arizona State’s next two games. With Arizona State done for the regular season, and sitting at 8th in the Pairwise Rankings, likely to make the NCAA Tournament, that means Wilson will miss both games of the NCAA regionals and be eligible to return to the Frozen Four, should Arizona State advance that far. If, for some reason, Arizona State should miss the NCAA Tournament, or not advance past the first round, Wilson’s suspension will carry over to next season.

Wilson has been a fixture on the Arizona State blueline, playing in all 34 of the Sun Devils’ games this season, usually slotting into a second pairing role. He has a 2-7-9 scoring line.