Kassian Gets 2 Game Suspension At World Juniors

((HT: TSN))

Canada forward Zack Kassian has been suspended for two games after getting a match penalty on Tuesday against the Czech Republic in the World Junior Tournament.

Kassian gets an automatic one-game ban after being assessed the match penalty for a hit to the head and neck of Czech defenseman Petr Senkerik.

Here's that hit...
((HT: TSN/WJHC/Hockeystreams))


Tournament judge Dan Marouelli ((yes, that Dan Marouelli)) added the additional game suspension on Wednesday morning.

Kassian will miss Canada's games tonight against Norway and Friday against Sweden. He will be eligible to return for the medal round games on the weekend.

The Canadian Women's Hockey Team Parties On, The IOC Not Happy

Another example as to why the Winter Olympics are to stuff shirt for my taste. After the Canadian Women's Hockey team received their gold medals after defeating the United States 2-0, they had an impromptu party on the ice.

The celebration involved the chugging of beer and cigars on center ice (gotta admire a fine Canadian women who enjoys a fine stogy.)

Hockey Canada quickly issued a statement apologizing for the gold medal celebration.

"The members of Team Canada apologize if their on-ice celebrations, after fans had left the building, have offended anyone,"

"In the excitement of the moment, the celebration left the confines of our dressing room and shouldn't have. The team regrets that its gold-medal celebration may have caused the IOC or COC any embarrassment.

"Our players and team vow to uphold the values of the Olympics moving forward and view this situation as a learning experience."

Steve Keough, a spokesman for the Canadian Olympic Committee told the Canadian media, "We condone celebrations. ... We don't condone actions of irresponsibility," Keough said. "I think Canadians understand it's quite an emotional moment for our team. It was not our intention to go against any IOC protocols."

Then the International Olympic Committee found out from an Associated Press reporter. Here's what Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games told the Canadian Press.

"If that's the case, that is not good," he said. "It is not what we want to see.

"I don't think it's a good promotion of sport values. If they celebrate in the changing room, that's one thing, but not in public."


There's more controversy with Marie-Philip Poulin, the youngest player on the team at 18, is below the drinking age in British Columbia was in partying with her teammates.

The IOC says they will investigate.

Please, there just a bunch of Canadian women celebrating perhaps the biggest accomplishment of their ice hockey careers. Those of us at the OSG HQ say get over it.

Photo Courtesy: Andre Forget, QMI Agency

Italy And Canada Not So Friendly

((HT: RAISportPlus))

An international friendly between Team Canada and Team Italy turned ugly Saturday, as Toronto Raptors players Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli tried to play peacekeeper to prevent an all-out brawl.

The trouble began after Italy's Stefano Mancinelli delivered an elbow to the back of the head of Canada's Aaron Doornekamp.

Both benches soon cleared, and a video posted on YouTube shows Bargnani and Belinelli trying to diffuse the tensions.

The video also shows Team Canada head coach Leo Rautins and an unidentified member of the Italian staff in a heated verbal exchange.

On Aug. 5 Italy will begin its quest to qualify for September's Eurobasket tournament against France.

Canada was using the game as a tune-up for the late-August start of the 2009 Tournament of the Americas, in which four spots in the 2010 World Championships are up for grabs.

Here you go...