Austin Watson, Nashville Predators striker's suspended girlfriend, says the June incident "is not an act of domestic violence"

The girlfriend of Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson, suspended, issued a statement Saturday in which he stated that the incident occurred between the two men in June "was not an act of domestic violence ".

Watson did not plead in July against a charge of domestic assault. Watson was initially suspended from 27 games by commissioner Gary Bettman, although he was reduced to 18 games by a neutral referee last week.

On June 16, a witness reported a police officer at a gas station in Franklin, Tennessee, where Watson and his girlfriend, Jenn Guardino, were in a parked car. Watson told the police that Guardino and he were arguing and that he had pushed her. Officers said they found red marks on the chest and she explained that it was Watson who had caused them.

In his statement, Guardino wrote: "Austin Watson never hit me and would never abuse me.My behavior and my intoxication led to the police intervention that day. "

Guardino also wrote that she had "fought against alcoholism for many years" and that she was actively involved in Alcoholics Anonymous.

"I am fortunate to have continued support from Austin for my treatment," Guardino wrote. "We mismanaged things on June 16 and we know we need to make better decisions and we take full responsibility for my actions that day."

Guardino also apologized to "all those involved for the negative attention that followed this incident, including the Nashville Predators community and the city of Nashville."

A spokesman for Predators said the team knew that Guardino was going to make a statement on Saturday.

The statement came a day after the NHL released its own statement, saying it was disappointed with the referee's decision to cut Watson's suspension.

"We firmly believe that the right to appeal to a League Discipline Arbitrator has never been designed to substitute the arbitrator's judgment for that of the Commissioner, especially for matters of important policy. of the League and formulating acceptable standards of conduct for individuals involved in the national conflict. "Hockey League", reads in the statement.

The NHL does not have a written policy on domestic violence and assesses each situation on a case-by-case basis.

Watson, 26, is a former first-round pick and has played his entire career with the Predators. He is allowed to return on November 15 when the Predators visit the Arizona Coyotes.