Coach: Not one brawl instigated by Lewiston
LEWISTON – “We showed class and composure in the face of what happened.”
After seeing the tape from Saturday night’s 5-0 win over Baie-Comeau, Ed Harding was impressed with some things, and disgusted with others.
“I really feel that we, our team and our organization, showed an incredible amount of class, and I am very proud of them for it,” said Harding. “The whole thing was an unfortunate incident, and it left a bad taste in my mouth as I watched it last night.”
Harding said that he watched the tape Saturday night, trying to figure out what exactly happened to leave just five Lewiston skaters and one goalie to play against seven Baie-Comeau skaters and their goalie.
“I watched it from start to finish,” said Harding. “I know that I had been involved in some fights like that as a player, but never like this as a coach. I think this is bad for the sport of hockey, and that it sent the wrong message to our league, the players in the league, and worst of all to the younger players in the stands watching.”
One thing Harding was happy with, however, was the way in which the events unfolded, at least from an administrative perspective.
“I was happy that we were not the aggressors in any of what happened,” said Harding. “I am proud that everything that happened on our side was reactionary, and that we didn’t initiate anything.”
Harding fell short of calling Baie-Comeau “dirty.” When asked Saturday night whether or not he felt that the Drakkar were dirty, faced with the knowledge that a similar brawl had already taken place between Baie-Comeau and Chicoutimi, Harding replied diplomatically.
“I don’t know about that,” said Harding. “I wouldn’t use the word dirty, and I don’t want to convey that with them.”
As for the officiating, Baie-Comeau coach Martin Laperriere came close to actually criticizing the referee, Francois Fortin. Harding, on the other hand, expressed sympathy.
“Honestly, they were having a hard time getting those guys into the box,” said Harding. “I don’t envy their position at all.”
The fans appeared to have had enough of the fighting as well. With 13:33 to go – while officials and coaches sorted out all of the penalties and all of the gear strewn about the ice – fans flocked to the exits.
“Honestly, with a 4-0 lead in the third period, I probably would have left at that point, also,” said Harding. “It was late, and the game was taking a long time. The fans in the Lewiston-Auburn area are intelligent hockey fans, and they know that what happened doesn’t normally happen. Hopefully they will realize that this was an aberration, and not the norm for this team and this league.”
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