‘That’s Hockey, Right?’: Canada’s Tom Wilson Drops Gloves, Fights French Player In Milan | EUROtoday

MILAN (AP) — Who says there is not any preventing in hockey on the Olympics? Tom Wilson clearly doesn’t care that it is shunned in worldwide play.

Wilson dropped the gloves late in Canada’s 10-2 rout of France on Sunday, going after the participant who delivered a forearm to the top of teammate Nathan MacKinnon minutes earlier.

“Obviously fighting isn’t a big thing in this tournament, but when a guy takes a run at one of our big guys, that’s what Willy does,” three-time Olympian Drew Doughty stated. “I mean, he does a lot more than that, but it was great to see him step up.”

Wilson fought Pierre Crinon, who was given a two-minute minor penalty and apologized to MacKinnon after the hit within the third interval. Scoring 25 seconds into the following energy play was not adequate punishment within the eyes of Canada’s gamers.

“We didn’t like the hit: felt like it was late and high,” match main scorer Connor McDavid stated. “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.”

Unlike the NHL, the place it’s a 5-minute main penalty, preventing is a recreation misconduct below International Ice Hockey Federation guidelines, so Wilson and Crinon had been ejected. The consequence was already lengthy decided, and Wilson solely missed the ultimate seven minutes of the sport.

“We’re used to a lot more than that happening, so it was pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things,” coach Jon Cooper stated. “Sticking up for his teammates, that’s an easy one for him.”

Wilson additionally had a purpose and an help, together with the battle giving him what is thought in hockey as a “Gordie Howe hat trick.”

The 31-year-old winger is one in all only a few new gamers for Canada who didn’t play on the 4 Nations Face-Off a yr in the past, when there have been three fights within the first 9 seconds of the group’s first recreation in opposition to the US

Wilson’s battle got here precisely a yr after these, when Canada’s Brandon Hagel, Sam Bennett and Colton Parayko fought Americans Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk and JT Miller.

“Listen, I don’t think we can go through this tournament without seeing one,” Hagel stated, smiling. “It was probably the talk about him coming to the tournament. But that’s just what Willy does: He sticks up for teammates.”

MacKinnon, who was sluggish to stand up and spent a while on the bench earlier than returning, appreciated Wilson standing up for him.

“That guy obviously didn’t want to fight Tom,” MacKinnon stated. “He just wanted to wrestle. I wouldn’t want to fight Tom either.”

Wilson was a no-doubt choose for his physicality and skill to retrieve pucks, together with producing at a excessive degree again in North America with the Washington Capitals. He is their main scorer with 49 factors in 50 video games this season.

He’s more likely to be the Capitals’ captain when Alex Ovechkin retires, and Cooper known as Wilson “outstanding in the locker room.” Fighting on the Olympics solely provides Wilson, who didn’t converse to reporters afterward, extra road cred along with his teammates.

“We know Willy’s got our backs,” Bennett stated. “He’s going to protect all our guys and bring the energy. We love that from Willy. He’s going to do anything for our team.”

Feisty goaltender Jordan Binnington, who has been recognized to jab a participant or two along with his blocker when he is displeased, cherished it, too.

“I definitely wasn’t surprised,” Binnington stated. “That’s hockey, right? That’s hockey.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics