Former NHL enforcer suspended after brawl

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Former NHL enforcer Andrew Peters has been suspended indefinitely as coach of a youth hockey team pending a Buffalo police investigation into his role in an on-ice brawl.

Buffalo Junior Sabres president Kevyn Adams announced the suspension Sunday, a day after the melee occurred during a game between the Peters-coached 15-andUnder team and the Hamilton (Ontario) Junior Bulldogs.

A video posted on YouTube shows the fight escalating into the Sabres' bench, when Peters becomes involved in attempting to separate the players. At one point, the 36-year-old appears to shove a Hamilton player backward onto the ice. Buffalo police were called to the arena, but no charges have been filed yet, a police spokesman said.

"We are very disappointed in the series of events that unfolded," Adams said in announcing the suspension. "We are currently reviewing the situation and in the meantime have suspended head coach Andrew Peters indefinitely."

According to a person familiar with the situation, Peters told Junior Sabres officials that he slipped while attempting to get one of the Hamilton players away from Buffalo's bench. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the conversation was to remain private.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Peters was known for his physical style during his NHL career, which included five seasons with the Sabres. He had 650 penalty minutes in 229 games from 2003 to 2010.

He works for the Sabres as a co-host of a show titled "The Enforcers," which is broadcast daily on TV and radio.