Southern Shore Breakers to launch appeal, calling junior hockey suspensions 'disproportionate'
CBC
Management with the Southern Shore Breakers junior hockey team say the suspensions handed out following a March 7 rumble at the Goulds Arena in St. John's are excessive, and plan to appeal the discipline with Hockey NL.
Manager Gerry Dalton wrote in a statement sent to the media and posted on social media that the team is also seeking a meeting with the St. John's Junior Hockey League executive, saying he's "very troubled" by a comment made by vice-president Boyd Hillier.
Hillier blamed the Breakers for instigating the chaos during the Breakers-St. John's Jr. Caps game, saying the Breakers "didn't want to play hockey" because they were on the verge of elimination.
Dalton said Hillier's comment "does not accurately reflect the effort or intentions of our players, coaches, or organization."
Dalton said the Breakers "expect fairness and professionalism" from league executives.
"We believe the level of suspensions issued to members of our organization to be disproportionate based on the level of penalties assessed during the game. We remain committed to ensuring that a review process is conducted fairly and transparently," he wrote.
Dalton decried what he called the "misinformation" being circulated by the media and online about the fight-filled playoff game, which was halted early in the third after referees had already handed out nearly 600 minutes in penalties.
The Caps were leading 5-2 at the time, and swept the best-of-three quarter-final series.
"Our organization is also dismayed by the events that took place … and recognizes the impact that these actions, and the portrayal of them through media coverage, are having on the game of hockey in our province, as well as on the families and fans who support and enjoy the game," Dalton wrote.
Dalton declined an interview request when contacted by CBC News.
League president Jim Hare said he will not comment further on the matter while the appeal process is underway.
Twelve players and a coach with the Breakers received a combined 45 games in suspensions, while six players with the St. John's Jr. Caps were assessed a combined total of eight games.
Hillier previously described the behaviour as "ugly and embarrassing," and said both the total penalty minutes and suspensions were likely a record for the 45-year-old league.
The Caps, meanwhile, jumped out to a 2-0 semifinal series lead over the Paradise Warriors with a 7-2 win on Saturday, and a 4-2 victory on Sunday.
About that heartbreaking loss to the U.S. at the 2026 Olympic women's hockey final last month, Sarah Nurse says, “that was the most fun I’ve had in a hockey game in a very long time.”
The U.S. government on Monday said electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla and South Korea's LG Energy Solution had signed a supply agreement to build a $4.3 billion lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic battery cell manufacturing facility in Lansing, Mich., with an expected production launch in 2027.
In one small town in Alberta, the assistant principal says teachers almost never meet alone with parents anymore.
Tens of thousands of customers are without power and four parts of Highway 401 are closed Tuesday morning as blasts of blowing snow hit the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
Melody Macsemchuk says volunteers at Grace Place in Thunder Bay, Ont., serve between 300 and 350 meals a day.
Groups of volunteers continue to search alongside police for a man who went missing in late January near Owen Sound, Ont., covering land on foot, and using drones for a view of the conservation area where his car was found.
Jessica Hay says her daughter Charlie loves to be included in everything — and a new accessible shopping cart at her local grocery store in Cornwall makes it possible for Charlie to come along for the ride.
The N.W.T. cabinet says it will review whether or not the territory needs an independent child and youth advocate after a motion by Range Lake MLA Kieron Testart calling on it to establish such a position was carried in the legislative assembly.
From affordable housing in Alberta to high taxes in Quebec, there are many widely accepted claims about the cost of living in different parts of the country. But are these preconceptions accurate?
An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) report examining the conduct of investigators from a high-profile murder trial into the death of a Toronto police officer where a judge accused responding officers of lying and collusion is expected to be unveiled Tuesday.
While U.S. President Donald Trump tries to convince allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he is also sending 2,500 marines to the region — the first deployment of U.S. troops since it and Israel first attacked Iran on Feb. 28.
Management with the Southern Shore Breakers junior hockey team say the suspensions handed out following a March 7 rumble at the Goulds Arena in St. John's are excessive, and plan to appeal the discipline with Hockey NL.
On Hollywood's biggest night, newly crowned Oscar winner Tamara Deverell used her time in the spotlight to condemn the Nova Scotia government for cutting millions of dollars of support to the province's arts sector in this year's budget.