Sean Avery’s controversial “sloppy seconds” comment about other players’ girlfriends got him suspended from the National Hockey League.
Will Vancouver Canucks Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler face a similar fate for their inflammatory comments about a Blues player’s wife?
Burrows and Kesler were heard making the comments about David Backes’ partner during the first game of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday. Video of the incident was posted on YouTube.
“Hey, Kelly’s a great gal,” Burrows yelled.
Centre Ryan Kesler piped up right after, saying, “Tell Kelly I said hi.”
Greg Kowalski, a software engineer, said insults are common on the ice.
“It happens, and believe me, I’ve heard much, much worse,” Kowalski said. “It’s just a part of the game.”
Ra Sushi Bar manager Derek Bruch said that the players hurling insults at each other is “just part of being a guy.”
“What Burrows said isn’t even that bad,” Bruch said. “These things always get blown up by the media because it makes people come back and watch more.”
Kyle Lescisin, a former goalie for the Simon Fraser University hockey team, said Burrows went too far.
“I think that insulting the family of the players is crossing a line,” Lescisin said.
