MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) – A private Roman Catholic school has shut down its varsity ice hockey program for a month because of an off-ice incident that apparently occurred while the team played in a tournament in Maine last month.

The decision means the Christian Brothers Academy team, one of the top-ranked high school squads in the state, will forfeit the six games it was scheduled to play in January. John Przygocki, athletic director at the Monmouth County school, confirmed the school’s decision but would not provide details about the matter that prompted it.

“It was basically an infraction of disciplinary rules, and based on that, members of the hockey team have been suspended from practicing or playing,” Przygocki said, adding that it was possible that some players may not be allowed to return to the team.

Mike Reynolds, the team’s head coach, and assistant coach Dustin DePalma also were suspended, but the ruling does not affect the school’s junior varsity tem. Reynolds has said he was “upset” by the matter and he hoped his team would learn from it, but declined to discuss it at length.

The suspensions came about after the team won the Maine Invitational Tournament, which was held from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 in Portland. The team, which had an 8-1 overall record before the suspensions were imposed, will resume practices at the end of the month and will return to the ice Feb. 4 for a match against St. Joseph of Metuchen.

The school will not face any sanctions from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association because it involved an internal school matter, Przygocki said.

AP-ES-01-13-04 1007EST