Canada supported winger Tom Wilson following his decision to engage in a fight to defend a teammate during their dominant victory against France at the Winter Olympics. The intense 10-2 win had already thrilled the spectators before Wilson confronted an opponent.
Although fighting is a common aspect of ice hockey, it is generally disapproved of in the Winter Olympics. However, with Canada secure in their win, veteran player Wilson from the Washington Capitals opted to challenge France’s Pierre Crinon.
The altercation was sparked when Crinon aggressively collided with Nathan MacKinnon in the third period, striking him in the face with his forearm. While Crinon received a two-minute penalty and Canada capitalized on the subsequent powerplay, Wilson felt more needed to be done.
Despite knowing he would be ejected from the game, the 31-year-old Wilson threw down his gloves to confront Crinon. The International Ice Hockey Federation considers fighting as misconduct, resulting in both Wilson and Crinon being expelled for the final seven minutes of the match.
For Canada, the consequences were worthwhile, as they had already secured victory and were advancing to the elimination stage of the men’s ice hockey competition in Italy. Wilson’s actions were well-received in the Canadian team’s locker room.
“We didn’t like the hit: felt like it was late and high,” expressed 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.”
MacKinnon, at 6ft 4in, shared, “That guy obviously didn’t want to fight Tom. He just wanted to wrestle. I wouldn’t want to fight Tom either.”
Head coach Jon Cooper of Canada expressed no concerns about the incident, stating, “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.”
Goalkeeper Jordan Binnington encapsulated the team’s sentiment, saying, “I definitely wasn’t surprised. That’s hockey, right? That’s hockey.”