By Nigel Maxwell

P.A. hockey community responds to controversial game

Feb 9, 2017 | 1:00 PM

Prince Albert hockey parents want to set the record straight on the events that transpired during a contest in Hague which led to the game being cancelled.

Two referees were disciplined for cancelling a teen boys’ hockey game this past Sunday, claiming insults and threats made from P.A. fans made them felt unsafe. While there is no official line from the Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA), the coach of the P.A. Bantam Hurricanes was suspended for three games, and a parent was banned from attending the rest of the season.

P.J. Soyko was among the mothers at the game watching her son play. She felt the officiating was very biased against Prince Albert. One play in particular involved a heated moment between two players. A referee separated the pair, but Soyko felt the official was much too aggressive.

“I could see a ref pulling a kid off another kid, or whatever, but it was not like that. He got a little too rough,” Soyko said.

She thought fans were upset in general over what they felt were poor calls, but the actions of the officials in this instance, set the crowd off. Soyko said, however, reports this week that Prince Albert fans were out of control was exaggerated, adding no one was swearing at the referees and only one man was told to leave.

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“There was one other family member of one of our players that was speaking to the ref, but at that point she was reacting because she was fearing one of our players was gonna get hurt. Like, there was some pretty bad hits,” she said.  

Soyko said she has watched a lot of hockey over the years and has never seen anything like what she saw on Sunday. RCMP have confirmed they were called to the hockey arena. 

“There are two sides to every story, but in hockey stories there is usually 10 or 20 sides to it,” James Mays said, technical director of the Prince Albert Minor Hockey Association.

Mays told paNOW the referees have not been suspended, as other media outlets have reported, rather they are simply no longer refereeing in the Sask. Valley Bantam Hockey League.

“They are not suspended, just at this point not doing that level of hockey,” he said.

Mays said if a referee was disciplined, he or she is given the opportunity to return to his or her original league. In this case, the referees would still be allowed to work in other leagues, such as Pee Wee.

The ruling affecting the officials was made by the referees division of the SHA. They conduct their own independent investigations and typically consult with their peers in other leagues.

Mays hinted this was not the first time the actions of these referees have been called into question.

“You can be rest assured the SHA looked into numerous issues,” he said.

Mays also responded to negative attention directed towards Prince Albert fans after the game.

“To paint all the P.A. minor hockey parents with that brush is really unfair because there are literally hundreds and hundreds of great parents in Prince Albert minor hockey. And you know they volunteer, they do a lot for the game,” he said.

The coach of the bantam Hurricanes does not plan to appeal his suspension, and according to Mays, regrets the incident.

The Hurricanes are back in action Friday night at Kinsmen Arena.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell