MILAN – Tom Wilson made quite an impression during Canada’s match against France, earning what might be Gordie Howe’s first Olympic hat trick.
The Capitals’ fiery player netted the opening goal, thanks to an assist from Connor McDavid, at just 20 seconds into the second period, contributing to a dominating 7-0 lead. Wilson didn’t stop there; he jumped into a fight with Pierre Crinnon after a French player’s questionable hit on Nathan MacKinnon.
It’s still a bit puzzling why Team Canada chose to include him, isn’t it?
After practice on Tuesday, Wilson reflected on the situation, saying, “It was a dirty hit, different from what you see in regular NHL play. You just handle things differently in the Olympics.” He acknowledged the emotional intensity of the game, adding, “When you’re up against someone big, decisions have to be quick, and the gloves came off. It escalated from there.”
Wilson mentioned, “At that moment, it’s about fight or flight. I just tried to do what I had to do. With the score getting out of hand, sitting out with five minutes left wasn’t going to matter much. I wanted to support my team.”
The French Ice Hockey Federation decided to suspend Crinnon for the rest of the Olympic competition, claiming his post-game actions went against their values.
Following International Ice Hockey Federation regulations, both Wilson and Crinnon received game misconduct penalties, with seven minutes remaining. Canada eventually won the match 10-2.
While there was no further punishment from the IIHF for either player, Crinnon faced backlash from his home country for breaching what is seen as the Olympic spirit.
Some of Crinnon’s teammates voiced their displeasure with the suspension. “I think he deserves to play,” admitted Hugo Garrett, expressing frustration with the decision. “Honestly, they likely took his past into account. But I support him; we needed him out there.”
Antoine Keller called the action by the French Olympic Committee a “joke.” Meanwhile, Wilson made it clear he intends to keep playing a physically demanding game, aware of the tighter regulations in the Olympics.
As the situation unfolded, Wilson maintained that he had to protect himself, especially when Crinnon kept pursuing him. “It’s still hockey,” he stated. “Sure, there are rules differences, but at the essence, it’s a highly competitive and physical sport. Every team will come at us hard, so we need to stick together and work hard. I’m not changing my game; I want to be someone that’s tough to face off against.”
“If it means standing up for my teammates and our country, I absolutely will. That’s just hockey; it’s full of emotion, and whatever happens, happens.”
Wilson, along with the top-seeded Canadian team, is set to face off against the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
