Santa Clara Youth Hockey Team Accused Of Throwing Game
SANTA CLARA (CBS 5 / KCBS) -- The entire coaching staff for the Santa Clara Blackhawks youth hockey team, made up of 15 and 16-year-old boys, has been suspended after accusations that their team intentionally threw a game.
KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:
The California Amateur Hockey Association - in announcing the coaching suspensions - said there was credible evidence of a scheme for the Blackhawks to intentionally lose their recent game against the San Diego Gulls, so that their rival would have a tougher time in the upcoming playoffs.
A videotape of the game shows that throughout it the Blackhawks never took a shot at their opponents goal, often dumping the puck away; and when the Gulls took a shot, it appeared that the Blackhawks goalie just stood there and watched the puck go on by.
The Blackhawks team president told CBS 5 that he felt the accusations had been "blown way out of proportion." Mark Keil said the investigation by the hockey association was still on-going and urged the public to avoid a rush to judgement.
"It's just that first step," he explained. "You suspend somebody, you have an investigation, you get to hear both sides of the story, you get to hear the whole story."
Keil continued, "Guilt is when there's evidence to guilt, it's just like a police analogy. We have no proven guilt here, I think this story is lot bigger than it really needs to be."
While the hockey association suspended the Blackhawk coaches, it did not suspend the team and will allow it to compete in the upcoming playoffs, under the direction of substitute coaches, despite what happened.
(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
