Turmoil continues over hockey game called off by refs worried for their safety

SASKATOON — The general manager of the Saskatchewan Hockey Association is defending the actions of the Sask Valley Minor Hockey League in response to referee allegations of fan abuse.

Kyle Chudyk, 29, and Michael Schwebius, 22, say they were suspended after calling off a game between the Hague Royals and the visiting Prince Albert Bantam Hurricanes in the third period.

They were told they had put undue pressure on the league schedule as the teams would have to make up the game.

Kelly McClintock of the SHA tells radio station CKOM the referees shouldn’t have cancelled the game, and had the option of clearing the rink and making the fans watch from the lobby.

Both refs as well as their linesman say Hurricanes fans swore at them and threatened them to the point where RCMP had to be called to escort them to their vehicles.

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Both teams’ fans admit the game was rough and that several players and fans were ejected. Hurricanes coach Bill Hoko and one of his players each received gross misconducts and McClintock says they were suspended for three games.

As for Hockey Canada’s “zero tolerance” for abuse policy, McClintock says the passion of hockey parents and sport in general makes it difficult to truly move toward zero abuse.

“That’s why you have security at Roughriders’ games,” he says. “When it’s your children out there, people have a lot of passion and tend to exert that passion in an incorrect way.”

However, he says minor hockey associations do take action against parents, coaches and referees who “cross the line.”

(CKOM)

The Canadian Press