Canada showed support for winger Tom Wilson after he engaged in a confrontation to defend a teammate during their decisive victory against France at the Winter Olympics. The 10-2 win by Canada had already captivated the audience when Wilson took exception to an opposing player.
Although fighting is commonly seen in ice hockey, it is generally discouraged at the Winter Olympics. Despite Canada’s secure lead, veteran player Tom Wilson from the Washington Capitals opted to challenge France’s player, Pierre Crinon.
The incident was triggered when Crinon aggressively collided with Nathan MacKinnon in the third period, striking him in the face with his forearm. This action resulted in a two-minute penalty for Crinon, and Canada capitalized on the ensuing powerplay. However, Wilson felt that more needed to be done.
In a bold move, the 31-year-old discarded his gloves and initiated a confrontation with Crinon, fully aware that this action would lead to his removal from the game. The International Ice Hockey Federation considers fighting as misconduct, resulting in both Wilson and Crinon being ejected for the final seven minutes of the match.
Despite the consequences, Canada deemed Wilson’s actions justified, as they had already secured the victory and were advancing to the elimination stage of the men’s ice hockey competition in Italy. Wilson’s teammates in the Canada dressing room also appreciated his intervention.
“We didn’t like the hit: felt like it was late and high,” remarked Canada star Connor McDavid. “Willy just finishes a check, and the guy jumps him, and Willy’s just protecting himself. That’s all he can do. That’s the type of guy he is, type of teammate he is. Nothing but respect for him.”
Speaking on the incident, MacKinnon, who stands at 6ft 4in, stated, “That guy obviously didn’t want to fight Tom. He just wanted to wrestle. I wouldn’t want to fight Tom either.”
Furthermore, Canada’s head coach, Jon Cooper, expressed no concerns about the altercation, noting, “We’re used to a lot more than that happening, so it was pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things. Sticking up for his teammates, that’s an easy one for him.”
In agreement with the team sentiment, Canada goaltender Jordan Binnington remarked, “I definitely wasn’t surprised. That’s hockey, right? That’s hockey.”