Two Hockey Teams Suspended Indefinitely After Violent Stick Attack Breaks Loose

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Sam Walker
September 17, 2023 (1:59 PM)

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In a shocking turn of events, a recreational men's hockey game in Toronto took a wild and chaotic turn on Monday night, leaving spectators in disbelief.

The game, held in York, quickly descended into a chaotic brawl that saw players swinging their hockey sticks overhead in a manner reminiscent of lumberjacks. The sheer intensity of the brawl left everyone stunned.

The Adult Safe Hockey League (ASHL) wasted no time in condemning the on-ice violence, labeling it as "shocking and unacceptable." In response, the league has suspended both teams indefinitely and launched a thorough investigation into the incident. Additional disciplinary measures, including possible permanent expulsion from the league, are on the table.

Referee Bruce Tennant, who witnessed the chaos firsthand, expressed his astonishment, saying, "There was no concern at all for the safety of either their teammates or the opposing team; it was a war." Tennant, with over 45 years of refereeing experience, admitted he had never seen anything like it before.

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Tennant also noted that players from both teams had garnered a reputation as troublemakers within the ASHL. Remarkably, despite the mayhem, there were no serious injuries reported, and the police were not called to intervene in the incident.

The league released an official statement:

The Adult Safe Hockey League (ASHL) is aware of an on-ice incident that occurred during an ASHL game on September 11th, 2023, at Canlan Sports York. The violence of the incident is shocking and unacceptable, and we are grateful that there are no reports of injuries at this time.

The safety of our players and staff are paramount to the ASHL. The conduct from participants on both teams in no way aligns with the core values of Canlan Sports and the ASHL, the rules of the game, or the expectation of mutual respect between players that is the cornerstone of a safe and fun recreational hockey experience.

While we acknowledge that the total prevention of incidents like this is not possible with over 1,000 ASHL games being played each week, Canlan Sports aims to create the safest possible environment for our players, including:

▪ On-ice and off-ice game officials present at all ASHL games
▪ On-site Canlan Sports staff who are trained in First Aid and the application and use of AED's.
▪ Real-time on-site video to assist in investigations.
▪ The most comprehensive rule book in adult recreational hockey, which includes annual reviews, and a designated committee to review and administer supplementary discipline.
▪ Supplementary sport accident insurance for all registered participants.

We take this matter very seriously and have completed a thorough investigation of the incident.
As a result, the following disciplinary measures are being enacted:

▪ Both participating teams have been suspended indefinitely from the ASHL, pending the completion of the investigation.
▪Multiple individuals will be permanently expelled from any ASHL league, tournament, or sanctioned programming effective immediately.
▪ Additional participants from both teams will receive supplemental disciplinary suspensions in-line with the ASHL Rule Book, and will need to comply with several conditions prior to returning to any ASHL league, tournament, or sanctioned program.

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POLL
SEPTEMBRE 17 \| 73 ANSWERS Two Hockey Teams Suspended Indefinitely After Violent Stick Attack Breaks Loose Should these two teams face criminal charges?
Yes	55	75.3 %
No	18	24.7 %
List of polls

Two Hockey Teams Suspended Indefinitely After Violent Stick Attack Breaks Loose

In a shocking turn of events, a recreational men's hockey game in Toronto took a wild and chaotic turn on Monday night, leaving spectators in disbelief.

Should these two teams face criminal charges?