Dennis Wideman Knocks Over Referee After Non-Call

Hockey is undoubtedly an emotional game, but one player’s emotions may have crossed line on Wednesday night. After Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman was run into the boards by Nashville winger Miikka Salomaki the veteran knocked over linesman Don Henderson on his way to the bench.

After the game, Wideman insisted that he would never intentionally check an official.

“I took a pretty good hit down in the corner and had some pretty good pain in my shoulder and neck,” he explained. “I was just trying to get off the ice and kind of keeled over. At the last second, I looked up and saw [Henderson] and couldn’t avoid it. I went up to Donnie and apologized to him on the ice.

“I didn’t see him. I didn’t know where to go and how to get out of the way. I’ve been around for a few years, and I think I’ve treated every official with the utmost respect, and I would never intentionally try to hit a linesman or a ref. It was completely unintentional, and I already apologized to him.”

Some have also speculated that Wideman wasn’t feeling 100% after taking the hit in the corner; the NFL, is in the midst of a concussion controversy.

If the league determines that the defenseman’s actions were intentional, he’ll face a minimum suspension of 20 games.

Photo: Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman by Resolute via Wikimedia Commons

Article by Joe Kozlowski