Ice Hockey PLAYERS BRAWL IN INTERNATIONAL GAME

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29851, 18 June 1962, Page 10

Ice Hockey PLAYERS BRAWL IN INTERNATIONAL GAME

New Zealand beat a team of Overseas-born players by 10 goals to 6 when the annual ice hockey match for the Gordon and Poisons trophy was played on the indoor rink at Cashmere yesterday afternoon. In a wild three minutes in the second spell, when New Zealand took the score from 4-2 to 7-4, two brawling players were ordered to the penalty box; and in the final stages, incidents were happening at the rate of one a minute. The first spell, from which New Zealand emerged with a lead of 3 goals to 2, was marked by some stick slashing and one Overseas player, B. Sherman, was sen; off the rink for a minute's penalty. In the twelfth minute of the second period when New Zealand was attacking strongly, one of the Overseas backs. J. van der Griend. became involved in an altercation with the New Zealand full-back, B. Dando. The two tore away from restraining arms of team-mates and. crashing to the ice, wrestled wildly. It took the two referees— Messrs C. Larsen and J. Le Cren—and a squad of four players for each combatant to prise the fighters apart and keep them separated. Mr Le Cren sent the culprits off the ice for five minutes. Van der Griend returned to play with an intensity and expedition of a nature that aroused a packed stadium of spectators to a demonstration of disapproval. The rink became an uproar when van der Griend tackled

the New Zealand right wing, D. Fisher, who somersaulted to fall heavily on his back. Mr Le Cren warned him and when van der Griend expostulated he found himself pushed off. and the din became tremendous. In the third spell J. Begin (Overseas) and D. Bainton, of the New Zealand wings, collided accidently; Begin followed Bainton and crashed him from behind; and turned away. Bainton’s response was an elbowchop to the side of Begin's head. In another flurry van der Griend and G. Hitchcock (New Zealand) crashed together. Hitchcock lay on the ground and scissored van der Griend's legs, preventing him from rejoining the play, but the referee penalised him, sending him to the side. As the pace increased several players lost their sticks and A. Hamilton did not increase his popularity with the crowd when he hit Fisher’s stick from one side of the rink to the other when the latter was about to retrieve it. Dando then became the object of a demonstration when, in a fast run he sent the Overseas team’s captain. B. Offord. violently into the checkboards at the side of the rink. Offord was stretched full length by the impact and was stunned for a few’ seconds, but recovered within a brief interval and return to play. Dando was sent off. The Overseas team was a vigorous attacking combination but the New Zealand goalie. A. Smith, prevented many good movements from ending in points. A pre-game debate was held over Smith’s right to play for New Zealand because he had been bom on a ship on passage to the Dominion. Scorers were:— New Zealand.—C. Robinson (3 goals). D. Fisher (3). G. Bainton (2). M. Cotter (1), G. Hitchcock (1). Overseas.—J. Brissel (2), S. Walters (2), M. Pocock (1). B Offord (1).