SAINT JOHN, N.B. – Police broke up a fight between players and fans at a junior league hockey game in New Brunswick on Saturday.
Sgt. Steve Wilson says Saint John Police put “special attention” on the semifinal matchup between the local Southern Sting and the Grand Lake Moose at the Lord Beaverbrook Rink. Up to 1,000 people were in the stands when a brawl erupted between players and fans, Wilson said.
“Order was restored and the crowd dispersed,” he said. “It’s not a typical thing to have police respond to a hockey game.”
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Wilson said police are investigating a reported assault, but no charges have been laid.
Spectator Devin Upham said he was watching the game when one of the players climbed over the glass and hit someone in the head with his hockey stick. He said someone in the crowd responded by pouring a drink his head, and then chaos broke loose.
Upham and his friends Jake Ingersoll and Mitchell Doyle captured video of a jerseyed man on skates trading blows with plainclothed people in the stands. The video was uploaded to Facebook and has garnered nearly 100,000 views as of Sunday afternoon.
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In a Facebook post Sunday, the Southern Sting team says that the scuffle was beyond the its control, but they have hired security and will check people at the door for all remaining games.
The team urged people to celebrate the hometown victory and not to be distracted by the “actions of one player and a few fans.”
The Southern Sting will compete in the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League finals after beating the Grand Lake Moose 4-2.
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