Violence at game very disturbing

Wow! Game 4 of the recent Western Hockey League playoff series was well played by both teams, the Vancouver Giants and Everett Silvertips – especially the Silvertips.

I am very disturbed, however, by the violent behavior exhibited on the ice. What a terrible example for the fans, and especially the very young just starting to play hockey. The league should consider doing something about this type of violence. Violent players should be considered for suspension from the rest of the series, be required to take anger management training, and be investigated by the police for assault charges.

There is no excuse for such an intention to harm another in a sport, even in hockey. Why reward aggressive, harmful hockey players with no or little penalty for intentionally taking their opponents out of the game by physically injuring them? Perhaps the person who inflicts the injury should be out as long as the injured party – would that not be fair and also helpful to reduce the tendency to do intentional harm to others that makes them unable to play?

The Tips already have left wing Tyler Dietrich out with a head injury; we don’t need any more players out. No team should have players out for such reasons. These guys are too young (actually anyone is too young) to start a history of head injury that might affect their health, or perhaps make it so they can not play at all, for the rest of their lives.

Camano Island