Fraserburn
01-10-2006, 01:31 PM
COVENTRY, England (CP) - Former NHL star Theo Fleury was ejected from a British Elite Ice Hockey League game Sunday night following an altercation with Coventry fans.
Fleury, playing for the Belfast Giants, was in the penalty box in the second period when fans began yelling at him. Fleury then reportedly tried to get at some of the spectators, earning a game misconduct from referee Mike Hicks.
The contest was a testy one, with the News Letter of Northern Ireland newspaper reporting security had to be called to the Giants bench on a number of occasions, resulting in stoppages in play.
Coventry won the game 3-0, handing the Giants just their second loss in two months, a span of 15 games.
Fleury has 12 goals and 45 points in 22 games - as well as a team-high 131 penalty minutes - with Belfast, which tops the league standings with 47 points from 30 games. Coventry is fourth with 34 points from 27 games.
Belfast coach Ed Courtney blamed Coventry fans for the incident.
"Shameful, classless once again and I don't speak for all the people in Coventry but most of their fans are an embarrassment," he told the News Letter of Northern Ireland. "It's an embarrassment to the league."
Coventry has denied hearing any abusive remarks, which bothered Courtney.
"For Mike Cowley, the owner of the team to come to me and tell me he hears nothing is an embarrassment," Courtney told the newspaper. "He was in the room with me when the linesman said he had heard what was being shouted, words aimed at Theo that again I don't need to repeat."
ya and our fans are bad over here?
Fleury, playing for the Belfast Giants, was in the penalty box in the second period when fans began yelling at him. Fleury then reportedly tried to get at some of the spectators, earning a game misconduct from referee Mike Hicks.
The contest was a testy one, with the News Letter of Northern Ireland newspaper reporting security had to be called to the Giants bench on a number of occasions, resulting in stoppages in play.
Coventry won the game 3-0, handing the Giants just their second loss in two months, a span of 15 games.
Fleury has 12 goals and 45 points in 22 games - as well as a team-high 131 penalty minutes - with Belfast, which tops the league standings with 47 points from 30 games. Coventry is fourth with 34 points from 27 games.
Belfast coach Ed Courtney blamed Coventry fans for the incident.
"Shameful, classless once again and I don't speak for all the people in Coventry but most of their fans are an embarrassment," he told the News Letter of Northern Ireland. "It's an embarrassment to the league."
Coventry has denied hearing any abusive remarks, which bothered Courtney.
"For Mike Cowley, the owner of the team to come to me and tell me he hears nothing is an embarrassment," Courtney told the newspaper. "He was in the room with me when the linesman said he had heard what was being shouted, words aimed at Theo that again I don't need to repeat."
ya and our fans are bad over here?