A night of Timbits Terror at the Tourney

Minor Hockey took a black eye on the weekend in Ontario, when eight year old players at a tournament in Guelph emptied the benches and began to brawl, all while their parental coaches were busy arguing with each other and reportedly in one instance spitting at each other.

Guelph police were called on Friday night to investigate the end of the game incident when an organizer of the weekend tournament turned to the Zamboni driver to call them to the arena. The on ice brawl took place at the end of a match featuring the Niagara Falls Thunder Novice AAA team who had just lost 8-1 to the Duffield Devils. On ice chippyness and hard feelings boiled over rapidly leading to the unbelievable display of eight year old kids going toe to toe on the ice.

There were conflicting reports as to how the incident started, with one witness suggesting that the coaches were trying to hold the players back, while at the same time others insisted that not only were the coaches involved in the caustic atmosphere they were urging their young charges to fight.

Sergeant Cate Welsh, spokeswoman for the Guelph police put the weekend events into perspective including the unusual nature of the call. "We've certainly been sent to the arenas for disturbances, but generally it's involving parents or fans,"; "But not sending kids at that age level onto the ice [to fight]. That's the allegation made at this point, that they both cleared their benches, and, wow, it's a pretty young age."

The fingers are pointing with most of them directed to the visiting Niagara Falls squad as the instigators of the dark night for minor hockey.

So far in the minor hockey investigation the Niagara Falls coaches and trainers have been suspended pending further investigation of the events. Sadly while thousands of games take place over the course of a weekend without incident and in the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship, it will be the events of Guelph that once again draw attention to the way that the national game is being taught to the youngest of players.

They already have an intensive coaching program for minor hockey coaches, but it would seem that more work is required to emphasize the fun and eliminate any of the nonsense that took place on Friday night.

Clearly over the weekend somebody was missing the point of playing the game for the love of the sport, it’s a lesson that hopefully the Ontario Minor Hockey Association will make all participants aware of with any number of sanctions up to and including suspending the coaches for their lack of control.

There’s hardly any place left in the game in the pros for the bench clearing brawl, but when the eight year olds are clearing the benches then there’s a fair amount of work that still needs to be done with the game.

Globe and Mail--Coaches under fire after teams of 8-year-olds brawl on ice
Canadian Press--Kids’ hockey brawl has advocate calling for end to competitive play under 12
Toronto Star.com--MHA suspends coaches, trainers
CBC Ssports--Minor hockey association investigates weekend brawl

The above post first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!

Brian Burke's old time hockey travelling revival hour

All this talk about the New NHL, the fancy skating, excuse me please land of pretty plays and no contact hockey, well it’s a land of which word never made it to Anaheim.

Brian Burke’s Ducks, who handed in the Mighty last year, may wish to ask for it back, so far this season there is no tougher, meaner and pugilistic operation in the NHL than the one that hails from the OC.

With 53 fighting majors recorded already and counting, the Ducks are by far the one team playing the old time hockey and the team most guaranteed to be featured in a Don Cherry video for next Christmas.

If they’re looking for a dance partner they’ll have to seek out the wallflowers of Nashville who trail them by 22 majors so far, mere pacifists when compared to the bellicose fowls of California.

It’s a strategy that Brian Burke makes no apologies for, preferring to see his team keep the opposition accountable for their actions even if it means running the risk of conjuring up the spirits of the Broad Street Bullies.

Back in Philly, they must look lovingly across the land and see a team they wish they could call their own. Anaheim forwards Teemu Selanne and Andy McDonald must feel like they're in the witness protection program, if anyone so much as makes mention of the colour of their uniforms someone on the Ducks will make sure that they never bother the duo again.

Sidney Crosby can only wish for that kind of assistance while on the ice, Pittsburgh clocks in about midway down the fighting major list with 24, which may surprise the Penguins franchise player, since he frequently seems to be under attack and fending for himself.

The last month has seen a more physical tone arrive on the NHL scene, the body checks seem harder and there has appeared to have been more frequent instances of players squaring off and expressing their opinions with their fists.

For those scoring at home, a game featuring the Ducks will most likely end up with some kind of physical altercation taking place, while any game which brings the Red Wings into the picture will probably be a most peaceful affair, the Wings to date have accumulated but 6 fighting majors, putting the Ducks almost 9 times more likely to drop the gloves than the Wings.

If the league thinks it may be an anomaly this sudden rise in fisticuffs, they may be in for a surprise, the simple success of the Ducks who have shot to the top of their division and provide some of the toughest opposition on a given night most likely means an increase in the arms race instead of a decrease.

The long rumoured demise of the enforcer may have been a tad pre-mature, while teams such as the Sens and Wings may suggest that the teams won’t want to run the risk of a parade to the penalty boxes, their competitors are seemingly going in a different direction.

The Rangers brought Sean Avery over from Los Angeles to provide a spark and some muscle to the line up and perhaps is an indication of a change of attitude at the GM level as the season winds down. Nobody was suggesting a spot in the ice capades for Avery, who will be expected to help send a few advisories to the Eastern Conference opposition.

It is most likely a welcome task for Avery, who is probably just as well glad to be away from the Pacific and Burkes Battling Bullies of Anaheim. Then again maybe not, a good Gladiator always wants to face the toughest and the meanest, this year it seems that all roads go through Anaheim!

The above post first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!