Cellphone video that captured a bench-clearing brawl in Langley is putting the spotlight on hockey violence once again.
A junior hockey game degenerated into an on-ice brawl Thursday night in Langley. Players from both teams, the Knights and the Mission City Outlaws, were throwing punches. The players range from 16 to 20 years old.
Cpl. Holly Largy with the Langley RCMP says there were called to the game last night. She says a “dirty hit” by a player led to an altercation involving the coaches and a person who got in the middle of the two may have been assaulted.
Largy also confirms one of the coaches was arrested and released.
As charges have not been laid, no names can be released at this time.
The General Manager of the Outlaws is not commenting on the incident, but the vice-president of the Pacific Junior Hockey League, Ray Stonehouse, says he will be handing out interim suspensions to the coaches of both teams and the players involved while the B.C. Hockey League does a full investigation.
He says the brawl started after a 16-year-old Langley player, in his first junior game, was challenged to a fight.
During the incident, Stonehouse says another player suffered a broken leg.
In a statement to Global News, B.C. Hockey says they are embarrassed by what has happened and have not seen anything like it in a very long time. They also want to make sure a safe environment is provided for all the players.
Police will be interviewing witnesses and the video taken of the incident.
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