Those players should have been kicked off the team immediately.
My son, a hockey goalie, was in a game and the puck had cleared and the play was just passing mid-ice towards the other teams goal when an opposing player turned away at mid-ice, skated back towards my son, crashing into my son from behind, slamming him into the ice. My son had trouble breathing and could barely move. An ambulance was called to take him to hospital where his T-12 was found to be fractured from the hit.
The police were called and were at first “so what, it is hockey” in their approach until video showed the play was clearly at the other end of the rink and the player clearly went after my son with intent to injure.
Opposing player arrested, sent to jail. Poor guy, a law student arrested for felonious assault. . .too bad. . .and convicted. . .six months in jail, 5-yrs probation. Could have paralyzed my son.
Sometimes actions on the “field” have no place and are criminal.