Canada’s Tom Wilson, France’s Pierre Crinon get into fight in Olympic game
Who says there’s no fighting in Olympic men’s hockey?
Fans were treated to a scrap during Canada’s preliminary matchup against France on Sunday, as Canadian forward Tom Wilson dropped the gloves with French defenseman Pierre Crinon.
With Canada winning 10-2 with seven minutes to go in the third period, Wilson delivered a hit on Crinon behind the French net, with Crinon responding with glove punches of his own. The two would drop their gloves and exchange a few shots, with Crinon throwing Wilson to the ice.
OLYMPIC HOCKEY FIGHT 👀 Tom Wilson and France's Pierre Crinon go at it and each receive a game misconduct 🚨
Just minutes earlier, Crinon delivered a hit on Canadian forward Nathan MacKinnon, which caused a mini scrum and MacKinnon to get up slowly. He would stay in the game.
Both Wilson and Crinon would be awarded two-minute minors for roughing, five-minute majors for fighting, as well as game misconducts. Through three games, Wilson has one goal and two assists for three points and 27 penalty minutes. As for Crinon, he has one assist and 33 penalty minutes through three games.
Canada went on to win 10-2, their first 10-goal performance in the Olympics since 1992.
Read more: Tom Wilson showing he’s much more than a blunt instrument for Canada
Canada is now 3-0-0-0 and finished the preliminary round ranked first in Group A. With their plus-17 goal differential, they could clinch the first-place spot for the quarterfinals. As for France, they lost all three of their preliminary games in regulation and finish the tournament with a minus-15 goal differential.
Wilson, who plays for the Washington Capitals in the NHL, has 23 goals and 26 assists for 49 points and 78 penalty minutes through 50 games. Now in his 14th NHL season, the 31-year-old Wilson has 202 goals and 242 assists for 444 points and 1,610 penalty minutes in 885 career regular-season games.
As for Crinon, the 30-year-old blueliner spent one season as a teenager in North American between the USHL and Corpus Christi IceRays, but has spent most of his professional career in France. In 13 seasons with Ligue Magnus, the top league in France, Crinon has 14 goals and 80 assists for 94 points and 541 penalty minutes in 304 career regular-season games.