making contact with his helmet. In response, while getting up, Perezhogin turned around and swung his stick in an axe swinging, almost chopping fashion and caught Stafford, who was still getting up, in the face. The consequent blow knocked Stafford unconscious, and into convulsions. Stafford required twenty stitches, lost some teeth and was diagnosed with a concussion. He was released the next day from Hamilton General Hospital and has since made a full recovery. Perezhogin was suspended for the rest of the playoffs, and in an unprecedented move for the entire following AHL season of 2004–05. Perezhogin was also charged by Hamilton Police Service, and was given a one-year probation, ordered to donate $5,000 to charity, and to cover all of Stafford's medical bills. Perezhogin actually did play pro hockey in 2004–05, but in the Russian Superleague with Avangard. He returned to Hamilton for the 2005–06 season. He was called up to the Montreal Canadiens that season and played 67 games for the Habs. Since 2007, however, he returned to Russia, playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL. Career statistics Regular season and playoffs International References External links 1983 births Living people Avangard Omsk players Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) players Montreal Canadiens draft picks Montreal Canadiens players National Hockey League first-round draft picks Sportspeople from Oskemen Russian ice hockey right wingers Salavat Yulaev Ufa players Zauralie Kurgan players Kazakhstani ice hockey right wingers Russian expatriate sportspeople in Canada Expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Russian expatriate ice hockey people Kazakhstani emigrants to Russia