Tom Wilson Ejected from Olympic Hockey Game for Fight with France’s Pierre Crinon

Milan, Italy – Canada’s Tom Wilson was ejected from Sunday’s Olympic hockey game against France after a third-period altercation with French defenseman Pierre Crinon. The incident occurred following a hit by Crinon on Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon, sparking a response from Wilson and resulting in both players being removed from the game.

The Incident and Immediate Aftermath

The fight unfolded late in Canada’s dominant 10-2 victory over France. Crinon delivered a forearm to the head of Canadian forward Nathan MacKinnon, prompting Wilson to engage with Crinon shortly after. According to Drew Doughty, a three-time Olympian, Wilson was responding to the hit on a key teammate. “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,” Doughty said via ESPN.

MacKinnon himself expressed his appreciation for Wilson’s response, stating, “He elbowed me in the face, and I was nowhere near the puck… I definitely appreciate him sticking up for me.” Sportsnet reported.

Rule Differences and Penalties

Unlike the NHL, where fighting results in a five-minute major penalty, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rules dictate a game misconduct for fighting. Both Wilson and Crinon were ejected from the remainder of the game. Despite the ejection, Canada’s coach, Jon Cooper, downplayed the significance of the fight, stating, “We’re used to a lot more than that happening, so it was pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things.” ESPN

Crinon received a two-minute minor penalty for the initial hit on MacKinnon and apologized to the Canadian player. Although, the Canadian team felt the penalty was insufficient, with Connor McDavid noting, “We didn’t like the hit, felt like it was late and high.” ESPN

Wilson’s Performance and the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick”

Prior to the ejection, Tom Wilson had a notable performance, scoring a goal and adding an assist, in addition to the fight. This achievement is known in hockey as a “Gordie Howe hat trick.” ESPN

Further Discipline

The IIHF has the option to issue a one-game suspension for fighting in addition to the game misconduct, but it has not yet been announced whether either player will face further discipline. Sportsnet