A Player Decked a Ref, A Coach Decked a Player, and a Makeout Sesh: Hockey Had an Interesting Weekend

The great sport of ice hockey had an unfortunate weekend, and it wasn't even Gary Bettman's fault. Two incidents in amateur hockey stained the reputation of the sport, and both involved goonery, if that's a word (it is now).

On Saturday, a former NHL-enforcer-turned-coach appeared to shove a 15-year-old player during a youth-league brawl. On Sunday, a player emerged from the penalty box and trucked a referee in the junior college national championship game. Just like Eddie Shore would have wanted!

There's video of the incidents, both of which happened in the Buffalo area. First, former NHL player Andrew Peters (a member of the Sabres from 2003-10), appears to set a poor example for the youths.

The Associated Press reports that the Junior Sabres have suspended Peters indefinitely with an investigation underway. Peters has offered a defense:

According to a person familiar with the situation, Peters told Junior Sabres officials that he slipped while attempting to get one of the Hamilton players away from Buffalo's bench.

Hmm. Anyway, second but no less disturbing, freshman Brandon Day of Erie Community College is shown decking an official in Binghamton, New York. The carnage occurred as Dakota College of Bottineau led Erie 7-4 with 39.4 seconds remaining in the third period at SUNY Broome Ice Arena.

Erie Community College (NJCAA) player storms out of penalty box to level referee late in 3rd period, ending national title game pic.twitter.com/UuJYjSER3K
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 26, 2017

As the announcer put it: "Whoa! And there is some unexcusable (sic) behavior by the Erie College Kats player." Note the other officials pinning Day to the ice and the other players reacting with disbelief before seeing to the official.

Matt Bove of WKBW reported that Day was "charged with a ten-minute match penalty for abusing an official." It was at that point the officials called off the rest of the game. Day was arrested and charged with assault, and remained in police custody as of 9 PM Sunday evening.

It's not all fighting and goonery in hockey, though. The sport also provided glimpses of true love for your significant other and/or country this weekend. Cleanse the palate with these two lovebirds absolutely going after it during the national anthem at NHL's latest Stadium Series offering between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.