The Warren Wildcats’ Game 2 victory over the Powerview/Sagkeeng Wild didn’t quite end with the celebrations expected from a series-clinching win.
A video circulated on social media showed that after the Wildcats claimed a 5-3 victory at Sagkeeng Arena Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 25, a fight opened midway through the handshake line, leading to multiple scraps around the ice.
The nearly three-minute video ended with teams eventually making their way off the ice after officials gained control of the situation.
RCMP were called to the scene and escorted the Wildcats players, staff and parents out of the arena.
Despite the chaos, the RCMP considered nothing criminal to have taken place.
Their will however likely be suspensions handed out. The WHSHL awards a two game suspension to any player engaging in their first fight of the season a three game suspension if it occurs in the last 10 minutes of regulation time according to the WHSHL Constitution. Players engaging in their second fight of the season would receive a four game suspension while a player engaging in their third fight of the season would receive a season and indefinite suspension until a decision by the WHSHL. An indefinite suspension could carry over to the following season.
Back on the gamesheet, the victory earned the Wildcats a trip to the Winnipeg High School Hockey League Price Division semi-finals.
Warren defeated the Wild in two games, winning Game 1, 7-1 last Monday and 5-3 in Game 2 on Tuesday.
The Wildcats now head back to the semi-finals after making it that far last season. On Tuesday, they play up Game 1 of a best-of-three against the Lorette Scorpions on home ice in Warren.
“They are a big strong hockey team,” head coach Lachlan McLean said about the Scorpions on Monday. “I expect two really great high school hockey teams playing the best they can do, fighting for their lives out there. It’s going to be two really close games from what I’m anticipating but anything can happen, but it’s going to be two really strong teams that want to win and it should be some great hockey.”
McLean also spoke about his grade 12s, hoping to make one final push for a Price Division championship.
This season, the Wildcats have seven seniors on the team playing their final few games in Wildcats colours.
They’ve been key to the team’s success this season, finishing second in the regular season and now leading them to be one of the last four teams standing in the Price Division.
“They’ve been admirable leaders throughout the year on and off the ice,” said McLean. “They live and breathe hockey, so I know that their goal is in line with the whole team’s that we want to win this thing. We know that means just taking it one game at a time against Lorette and all that we can think about now is being as prepared as we can be for that. If we play the hockey, we all know we can play. I don’t think there’s a team we can’t beat, so we’re feeling pretty confident, feeling good, but we just want to get tomorrow’s win.”
Semi-Final Schedule:
Game 1: Tuesday, March. 4, 3:45 p.m. at Access Credit Union Arena
Game 2: Wednesday, March. 5, 3 p.m. at Lorette Community Complex
Game 3: TBD in Warren
