CORNER BROOK Jamie Griffin never envisioned the 2011 men’s ball hockey season would end with so much disappointment, but that’s something he can live with because player safety is something he doesn’t want to mess with at any cost.
Griffin, who is vice-president of the Corner Brook Molson Men’s Ball Hockey League, confirmed Sunday that the plug has been pulled on the balance of the 2011 Corner Brook Molson Men’s Ball Hockey League playoff campaign.
Whelan’s Gate/Luxury Limos and Deer Lake Langer’s were dead even at two games apiece in the best-of-seven final after the gatekeepers eked out a 4-2 win in Game 4.
The conclusion of Game 4 is where it got ugly.
A melee ensued at the end of the game that saw both fans and players get involved in a scuffle in the alley near the visitors’ bench, which was being occupied by the Deer Lake squad.
When the dust was settled, Griffin and league president Francis Griffin discussed the events following Game 4 and felt something had to be done about the unacceptable conduct of both players and fans. They also discussed their concerns with officials from the provincial ball hockey association.
“Right now we are discouraged. It’s not worth it,” Jamie Griffin said Sunday.
“People got to work and people got families to feed. If somebody goes up there and wraps a stick around somebody’s neck, that poor guy might not be able to support his family.”
Guy Langdon of Deer Lake Langer’s and Blaine Ford of Whelan’s Gate/Luxury Limos have been handed down an indefinite suspension for their participation in the post-game dustup, while Darren Langdon of Deer Lake Langer’s received a gross misconduct for his involvement in the extra-curricular activities. Deer Lake’s Jake Easton was ejected from the game in the first period after being assessed a gross misconduct for making a travesty of the game and verbal abuse of an official.
The scene wasn’t pretty at the end of the game when a fan received three broken ribs and 25 stitches to the head after a fall from the bleachers into a beehive of red sweaters.
According to Griffin, the man injured in the incident was the father of Whelan’s Gate forward Blaine Ford.
“Blaine broke off a couple of hockey sticks trying to get at the Deer Lake dressing room because it was his father who fell down,” he said.
The Griffins realize the actions of those involved have left a black mark on the league and they plan on apologizing to league sponsors and supporters.
“I have never seen ball hockey to be that bad to make NTV News,” he said.
