Chapter Text
March 5, 2021
[video: Evan Dykstra, wearing a hoodie inside the locker room with microphones held in front of his face.
Off-camera: After that hit on Hollander, you were involved in the brawl. What were you thinking when that happened?
Dykstra: I mean, I’m not sure you’re thinking much at that moment. You see one of your boys go down, especially someone like Hollzy, you gotta step in.
Off-camera: And do you think the rest of the team was feeling the same way?
Dykstra: I can’t speak for the rest of them, but in my mind I was just like, we have to do something, you can’t get in a hit like that and not answer for it.
Off-camera: Have you heard anything about how he’s doing?
Dykstra: That’s it for me guys, thank you.]
[video: Ilya Rozanov, hair wet and plastered to his head, leaves the locker room in sweatpants and a hoodie.
Off-camera: Ilya, can I get a comment on tonight’s game?
Ilya waves her off, shaking his head, and walks past.]
[video: Luca in the locker room, face pale with a bruise forming over his right cheekbone.
Off-camera: You were involved in the fight tonight, one of your first in the league. How would you say it went?
Haas: I really was not worried about winning the fight. I just wanted to get everyone away from Shane and let people help him off the ice.
Off-camera: How do you feel about how the game went?
Haas: I think everything became less important when Shane went down. That was scary. It never feels good to lose, but there are worse feelings than that.]
March 6, 2021
Pelletier to face Player Safety Hearing
March 6, 2021.
Nolan Pelletier will face a phone hearing tomorrow with the Department of Player Safety.
Last night, with 11:13 left in the 3rd period of the Montreal-Ottawa game, Pelletier was penalized with a 2-minute minor for charging and a 10-minute misconduct after pushing Shane Hollander into the boards during a race for the puck.
March 7, 2021
March 8, 2021
March 9, 2021
Sam McLaughlin
MLH Has a Long Way to Go With Homophobia
The MLH Department of Player Safety has suspended Nolan Pelletier for 3 games following a phone hearing. The fans don’t think that’s enough.
On March 5th, in the Canadian Tire arena, a Montreal-Ottawa game took a turn halfway through the 3rd period. With 11:13 remaining in the game, Nolan Pelletier (64, Montreal LW) cross-checked Shane Hollander (24, Ottawa C) into the boards. Shane Hollander went face first into the boards, and was helped off the ice with the help of trainers and athletic therapists.
Pelletier was suspended for 3 games for boarding and unsportsmanlike conduct on the ice, costing him a total of $80,450 in forfeit salary. The league is comfortable washing their hands of the situation. The fans, and Ottawa’s head coach, think otherwise.
Since Scott Hunter’s famous Stanley Cup kiss, many have felt that the league has taken strides towards inclusion. Hunter’s organization, Hockey For All, which encourages LGBTQ+ acceptance across the sport, is one of the many voices calling for a harsher penalty for Pelletier.
Hits against queer players, as many have noted, get penalized less frequently and less harshly. Michal Celko, a forward for San Francisco, was penalized by a simple 1 game suspension after slashing Scott Hunter. When compared to similar slashes against other players (for example, Noah Allen against Will Beenhouwer) the discrepancy appears stark.
Hollander has been a victim of a disproportionate amount of hits when compared to other players on his team. Fans of his are quick to point out the trend.
“It’s impossible to rule out homophobia,” says a spokesperson for Hockey For All. “The punishments for attacking queer players are nominal. It sends a clear message: you are not welcome in this sport. You will face abuse. We will not protect you.”
Shane Hollander is recovering at home, and is expected to be back before the playoffs start next month.