Letter from CBHL Commissioner Mike Bancroft

The weekend's game reports are now in and I am not even going to compare us to NHL, SPHL, ECHL, OHL, and AHL in terms of serious penalties.  I don't have to.  I know we blew them all away as far as goon league activities are concerned.  In fact, we even topped the Johnstown Jets Slapshot team this weekend - congratulations.  I am infuriated.

All clubs associated with these events have been notified.  The league does not have the resources to hold as many disciplinary hearings as should be held from Sunday alone.  The league has demanded of the offending clubs a serious disciplinary review of the incidents forwarded and a full report back.  The league will hold Supplementary Discipline Hearings on all events the clubs do not resolve to the league's satisfaction.  Slaps on the wrist will not be considered kindly.  Go ahead and appeal, but we have some serious issues out there ladies and gentlemen and I need you to step up.  I do want to note that many clubs don't show up in the reports.  I do note that some clubs have reported back APPALLED by their player's actions and will probably attend to the player appropriately.

In order for you to understand what is going on out there, the following is an edited version (to protect the guilty - although I don't know why), of some (not all) of this weekend's events on CBHL ice.  I must thank profusely the officials who put up with this behavior and are professional enough to give their full unbiased assessment of what they observed.

It is shameful, it is disgusting, it goes against what I believe all of you are trying to achieve in youth hockey. And this may be a broken record, but huge amounts (not all) of these events are from teams who were mis-placed/over challenged in their divisions.  I encourage you to look seriously next year at team placement procedures - it is not just a good competition thing - it is keeping the divisions aligned so this kind of stuff doesn't occur.  We had events during the Jamboree seasons, but nothing like this day in and day out throughout the season.

To get a sense of the seriousness of the situation out there, I insist you share my pain and read through this.  I encourage you to have your coaches read this and get their feedback.  And again, it isn't everything, just the highlights:

At 9:55, Period 3, XXX was in attacking zone of YYY.  XXX was skating across the top of the slot with possession and control of the puck while  YYY skated across ice from the opposite side of the rink directly toward XXX YYY deliberately extended his leg out and leg checked XXX. Injury resulted from the illegal hit and player needed support to leave the rink. Penalty assessed was 5 minute major, game misconduct (Injury) Immediately after the hit, while XXX was on lying on ice, YYY yelled taunting phrases directed toward him. Penalty assessed was 2 minute minor for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. The player was immediately escorted off the ice surface.

The game between XXX and YYY  was relatively calm throughout the game with just occasional minor penalties for obstruction penalties vice aggressive fouls. Then with :02 remaining in the game, things took a different turn. Following a stoppage in the YYY  defensive zone, I had positioned myself (as referee) across from the YYY bench as I was skating from the far end zone face off circle toward the YYY bench when I noticed XXX intentionally skate past the YYY bench with his stick elevated approximately shoulder height and made contact with 7-8 YYY players while they sat on the bench. There were no words from the YYY  bench to provoke this move which was right out of the movie "Slap Shot." XXX's stick made contact with the head and neck of these players and even contacted a YYY Coach. I had never seen this occur before and was taken aback by this. I immediately blew my whistle and attempted to position myself between XXX and other players fearing retribution. While this was occurring, another XXX and a YYY player came together and exchanged words. Prior to the linesman getting there the offending player clearly lurched his head and head butted in clear view of the players, coaches, and officials. This player immediately skated away towards his bench. The other player being incensed by the head butt, took a run of about 5 strides and made contact with the back of XXX between his numbers sending him to the ice near his bench and the boards. XXX appeared injured by this hit by YYY. At that point I instructed the timekeeper to run the 2 seconds off of the clock to end the game. Based upon the events and their severity I instructed the teams off of the ice to avoid any possible situation which could have led to further penalties/suspensions. I had a civil conversation with the coaches separately to inform them what had occurred. Both coaches appeared to understand and left the ice.

With 7:35 remaining in the second period XXX #17 was assessed a major and game misconduct under rule 604 B for boarding. XXX dumped the puck into YYY's defensive zone just a few feet to the left of YYY's net on the opposite side of the benches. XXX and YYY chased after the puck. XXX was on the inside closest to the net. The two players were three or four feet from the end boards when XXX played the man instead of the puck. XXX made no attempt to play the puck which at the time of the hit was not close enough to either player to play it. He hit the YYY player from the side causing the YYY player to violently crash into the end boards hitting his shoulder and head on the boards. YYYs player was injured on the play and was taken to the hospital.

With 12:05 remaining in the 3rd period play was stopped for the YYY goaltender covering the puck. XXX player and YYY player were battling for position in front of the goaltender before play was stopped. Shortly after the whistle blew XXX and YYY began pushing and shoving each other, eventually "wrestling" each other to the ice with XXX falling on top of YYY. Both players were assessed a major plus game misconduct for fighting.

Early in the second period play was down in XXX's defending zone, to the left of the goalkeeper in the corner. I was the official on the goal line, on the opposite side from the puck/action, and to get a view of the play I was out about 2 feet from the goal line, about 5 feet from the goal. A scrum of players was working to control the puck in the corner. A YYY player was camped just outside the crease on the goal line watching the play, back to the goalie. With a completely unobstructed view, I observed the XXX goalie take his stick and spear the visiting player up between the legs, from behind, four times. XXX  gained possession of the puck in the corner moments later, and I blew the play dead. I assessed a major and game misconduct for spearing, and the goalie left the ice without further incident. Fortunately, the visiting player did not appear to have been injured by the repeated spearing to the groin.

At 9:23 in the second period there was a scrum in front of the net. Players from both teams were in each others faces and two of the players started throwing punches (The other two were assessed coincidental roughing penalties. The two players who threw punches were assessed majors for fisticuffs and a game misconduct. At 14:48 in the third period the away team scored an empty net goal to put them in the lead by two goals. At the ensuing center ice face off, I instructed the players to not do anything "stupid" as the game had been a little bit chippy. As soon as I dropped the puck, XXX, threw the end of his stick/glove directly into the opposing centers facemask. The opposing player dropped to the ice and I escorted the XXX player off the ice. No other incidents occurred.

XXX scored two goals in the last two minutes of the game to win. At the final buzzer, I was the official (2-man) deep in the XXX defensive zone (opposite the players’ benches). As the players started to skate to their respective benches, I witnessed YYY charge at XXX, in front of the XXX bench, with his forearms held high, he jumped into the player delivering contact to the XXX players head and neck area. I immediately skated to the Referee Crease, between opposing benches, and maintained position between additional opposing players. As the handshake line began, there were some verbal exchanges then the teams skated to exit the ice. I placed myself at the XXX exit door as my partner was near to the YYY exit door. As the players exited there was a lot of profanity voiced by YYY  toward the XXX players. "FU" was used repeatedly. I did not witness any other incident once the players entered their respective locker rooms.

With approximately two minutes left in the game, the puck became trapped along the boards, just inside the YYY defensive zone. I was the official on the opposite side of the ice, directly across from where the puck was. As I looked across the ice at the play, the puck became trapped along the boards, about 12-15 feet beyond the end of YYY's bench. The players were not getting the puck moving, and as more players crowded into the vicinity, some minor shoving began to take place as they tried to get position. With four players around the puck, and others in the area coming closer, I blew the play dead under USA Hockey rule 629(a)(note). As I skated across the ice to where the puck was, I saw one XXX) player's hands come up over the crowd and down toward the head of the YYY player nearest him. I identified #XXX as the player whose hands I saw. As I was coming across the ice, ZZZ managed to throw 4-5 overhand punches at the YYY player.  The other official, and I arrived at about the same time and easily separated all of the players. All of the punches that XXX threw were completely ineffectual, and barely made contact with the YYY player, who never retaliated in any fashion. . After the game, I checked with the coach, who assured me his player was fine.

If after reading the above you do not become physical sick and extremely concerned for the state of our game in this area, you should immediately resign your position to people who understand that this is serious and dangerous stuff, and this league and sport is in big trouble.

 I need you to step up or identify who will be taking your place.

v/r,
Mike Bancroft
CBHL Commissioner