During a group stage match of the men's ice hockey tournament at the Milan Olympics, a rarely seen incident at this level occurred. Canadian Tom Wilson and Frenchman Pierre Crinon engaged in a brutal fistfight in the third period. The referees struggled to control the situation on the ice, and both players were penalized with game ejections. The match ended with a decisive 10-2 victory for Canada.

Brutal Incident on the Ice

Tom Wilson and Pierre Crinon engaged in a fistfight near the end of the third period, resulting in their immediate ejection.

Retaliation for Attack on Star Player

The cause of the altercation was Crinon's earlier hit on Nathan MacKinnon. Wilson, defending his teammate, dropped his gloves, violating Olympic rules.

Canada's Dominance in the Result

Despite the scandal, the Canadian national team routed France with a score of 10:2, finishing the group stage as the leader.

Sunday's match between Canada and France will go down in Winter Olympics history not only due to the high score but primarily because of an incident that clashes with Olympic tradition. In the third period of the match, with the score at 10-2 for Canada, a brutal fight broke out on the ice between Tom Wilson and Pierre Crinon. While fights are a tolerated element in the professional NHL league, in Olympic hockey governed by the rules of the IIHF, they are strictly penalized and viewed as a violation of sports ethics. The catalyst for the conflict was Crinon's aggressive behavior, as he had earlier attacked the star of the Canadian team, Nathan MacKinnon, by striking him with his forearm near the head. Although the French player received a two-minute penalty for this and apologized to his opponent, Wilson decided to take justice into his own hands upon Crinon's return to the ice. The Canadian forward, known for his physical play, dropped his gloves and took his opponent down to the ice. The referees needed considerable time to separate the fighting players, after which both were sent to the locker room with game misconduct penalties. The last time such a violent fistfight was recorded during an Olympic tournament was in 1998 in Nagano, when player safety rules began to be drastically tightened. Despite the scandal, the sporting dominance of the Canadian national team was undeniable. The North American team confidently concluded the group stage, confirming its status as the main favorite for the gold medal. The French, despite an ambitious start to the match, were unable to counter their opponents' firepower. However, the incident involving Wilson sparked a broad media debate over whether traditions from professional leagues should have any place at the Olympics, where fair play is promoted. „This is hockey. Sometimes emotions take over, especially when you have to stand up for your teammates after dangerous plays by the opponent.” — Tom Wilson

Mentioned People

  • Tom Wilson — Canadian ice hockey player, forward known for his aggressive style of play, participant in the fight in Milan.
  • Pierre Crinon — French defenseman who provoked the Canadians with a rough play and participated in the fight.
  • Nathan MacKinnon — Star player of the Canadian national team, attacked by Crinon prior to the outbreak of the fight.