Canada’s emphatic 10-2 demolition of France at the Milan Winter Olympics was overshadowed by a violent altercation that saw both Tom Wilson and Pierre Crinon thrown out of the match on Sunday.
Wilson, who plays as an enforcer for the Washington Capitals in the NHL, traded punches with his French opponent during the third period of what proved to be Canada’s most dominant display of the tournament so far.
Both players now face automatic suspensions for the next game, with the International Ice Hockey Federation potentially imposing further disciplinary action following the incident.
Wilson had enjoyed a productive afternoon before his dismissal, registering both a goal and an assist.
The flashpoint came when Crinon struck Canadian star Nathan MacKinnon with a forearm to the head as France struggled to contain their opponents.
Wilson responded immediately, dropping his gloves to confront the French player in a physical exchange.
Match officials rushed to break up the confrontation before escorting both men from the ice to their respective dressing rooms.
Canada’s emphatic 10-2 demolition of France at the Milan Winter Olympics was overshadowed by a violent altercation that saw both Tom Wilson and Pierre Crinon thrown out of the match on Sunday
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The brawl erupted with the scoreline already at 10-2, as an outclassed French side grew increasingly frustrated against their North American opponents.
Under Olympic regulations, fighting results in immediate ejection from the game, a stark contrast to the NHL where such incidents typically warrant only a five-minute penalty.
Suspensions at the Olympic ice hockey tournament remain relatively rare, generally reserved for serious incidents involving head contact or fighting.
Hockey players rushed to intervene following the fight at the Winter Olympics
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In this instance, officials determined that both Crinon and Wilson had committed offences in both categories.
The IIHF has already demonstrated its willingness to intervene retrospectively at these Games.
Italian forward Cristiano DiGiacinto was handed a one-match suspension after striking Slovakia’s Martin Fehervary in the head, despite initially receiving only a two-minute minor penalty during the match itself.
The governing body reviewed footage after the game before upgrading the sanction, a process that could now be applied to the Wilson-Crinon incident as Canada prepare for the knockout stages.
Tom Wilson cut a furious figure following the brawl at the Winter Olympics
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Canada have swept through the preliminary round with a perfect record, securing three consecutive victories to advance to the next stage of the competition.
Their campaign at the Milan-Cortina Games began with a comfortable 5-0 shutout against the Czech Republic before they dispatched Switzerland 5-1 in their second fixture.
The comprehensive thrashing of France represented their finest performance yet, with 15 members of the squad contributing at least one point to the scoresheet.
North American fans are now anticipating a potential gold medal clash between Canada and the United States, following the NHL’s decision to allow its players to compete at the Winter Olympics.