Charges laid in on-ice fight between adults at Canadian youth hockey game

Steven Psihogios
Updated
A fight reportedly involving coaches and a referee occurred at a youth hockey game in Lethbridge, Alb., on Sunday. (Twitter // @DuckMillard)
A fight reportedly involving coaches and a referee occurred at a youth hockey game in Lethbridge, Alb., on Sunday. (Twitter // @DuckMillard)

Things got very ugly at a youth 3-on-3 hockey game in Lethbridge, Alb., on Sunday, as an on-ice fight involving coaches, adults and a referee broke out, as reported by a Twitter user named Dean Millard.

The Quest for the Cup Challenge, had its organizer, High Performance Hockey, confirm the incident.

Here’s a look at what went down.

As noted in the investigation by the Lethbridge Police Service, what spurred the brawl was a verbal altercation between a 10-year-old player and a referee. The player then slashed the official twice with his hockey stick. The referee responded by pushing the player to the ice which then brought coaches and a relative of the player onto the ice. The person who was shoved to the ground in the video was a coach of the opposing team.

The relative, Robert Farrell Creighton, 55, was charged with assault. Another assault charge is still pending for a 36-year-old male who left the arena.

The official statement from High Performance Hockey, per their Facebook page, is as follows:

Earlier today, an altercation occurred at our Quest for the Cup tournament. This incident is receiving significant attention on social media and should serve as an example to all about the importance of ensuring the rink is a safe place for our children. Actions like this have no place in our game.
The Quest for the Cup tournament is an opportunity for players to enjoy the game of hockey with their friends. For that reason, we are especially disappointed to see an act like this occur.
We are fully cooperating with Lethbridge Police Services as they investigate this incident.

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