Editor:
I attended the Oct. 3 hockey game where the Canmore Eagles defeated the Sherwood Park Crusaders 5-3.
I admit I’m not a huge fan of hockey with great game awareness. But an incident there really bothered me.
Two players from opposing sides got into a fight, took off their helmets and began slugging it out, “toe-to-toe.” Two referees stood watching, but made no attempt to interfere.
After a couple of minutes, the players apparently tired out and left the ice after being charged with game misconducts.
When the period ended I approached a referee and asked why they just stood by. He said that’s what they have to do. Such fights are regarded as entertainment and they’re not supposed to interfere.
Later, I asked Eagles General Manager Andrew Milne how long the referees should let such stuff continue.
He said they might stop it if a player gets injured, such as taking a shot to the nose and spilling blood on the ice.
There were other fights involving multiple players who piled on when guys were throwing fists (none of them were ejected from the game). Maybe that’s entertaining.
But watching those two guys go at it while the referees just stood by didn’t entertain me and I didn’t hear people egg them on.
Hockey Canada’s rulebook says that in a situation like this, both fighters must get a game misconduct and leave the ice.
But the manual for referees doesn’t say anything about them having to just stand by and watch.
It says where two players are “slugging it out toe-to-toe” or wrestling on the ice (each equally involved), both must be ejected from the game with the ‘’appropriate penalties.’’
Am I being too hard on the refs and manager Andrew Milne?
Don B. Thomas,
Canmore
