3 Flyers Accused of Assault in Toronto

April 17, 1976

TORONTO, April 16 (UPI) —The Ontario Attorney General, Roy McMurtry, issued arrest warrants today against three Philadelphia Flyers — Don Saleski, Joe Watson and Mel Bridgman—in connection with on‐ice incidents last night during a National Hockey League playoff game between the Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The three players were charged with offenses involving assault and possession of an offensive weapon—a hockey stick — during the Stanley Cup quarterfinal game won by the Maple Leafs, 5‐4.

One incident in a game marred by 163 minutes in penalties involved a policeman allegedly being hit behind a penalty box at the Maple Leaf Gardens.

McMurtry, who earlier in the year brought assault charges against Dan Maloney, a Detroit Red Wing forward, in connection with another fight at Maple Leaf Gardens, said the charges carry a maximum penalty for both offenses of five years imprisonment.

The three Philadelphia players presented themselves at a downtown Toronto police station tonight. They were accompanied by a city lawyer, Austin Cooper, and Albert Wiseman, assistant security director for the N.H.L.

The trio, Cooper said, would have no comment to make for publication.

Earlier, a police spokesman said the three would be taken to police headquarters for fingerprinting and photographs after making statements at the downtown station house.

The Attorney General said he expected the three to be released on their own recognizance after the processing of the charges, pending a further appearance in court tomorrow morning.

McMurtry said the charges were leveled against the three men after officials studied films of the game and conferred with the police and the Crown Prosecutor, Robert McGee.

McMurtry said the warrants issued against the three spelled out the following charges:

Watson: two charges of assaulting a police officer, two charges of common assault and one dangerous weapons charge (a hockey stick).

Saleski: two charges of common assault and one dangerous weapons charge.

Bridgman: one charge of assault causing bodily harm.

McMurtry said he did not expect the three players would be jailed during any part of the procedures, which would allow them to play in the fourth game of the series scheduled for tomorrow night.

The game, which cut Philadelphia's lead in the fourof‐seven series with Toronto to 2‐1, featured 42 penalties assessed by Referee Dave Newell, including a playoff record 28 penalties against the Flyers.

Four players were ejected from the contest with game misconducts: Jack Mcllhargey of Philadelphia and lan Turnbull, Scott Garland and Kurt Walker of Toronto. There were 12 major penalties in the game with play halted for brawls in the first and second periods.

There were only four minor penalties assessed in the third period.

It was the second, major stand taken against violence in hockey in the last three days. The World Hockey, Association suspended five players and levied fines totaling $50,000 against two of its teams for a brawl last Sunday night involving the Quebec Nordiques and Calgary Cowboys.

That action, announced by Ben Hatskin, the executive director of the league, came after the Nordiques issued a three‐pronged ultimatum to the league threatening to drop out of the playoffs and withhold the gate receipts of the first two in Quebec if the demands were not met.

The Nordiques wanted Rick Jodzio a Calgary forward, suspended for life for his attack on Marc Tardif, a Quebec forward who is the league's leading scorer. Tardif was taken to a hospital after the brawl with a severe concussion. The Quebec club also wanted Joe Crozier, the Calgary coach suspended for the balance of the season for allegedly ordering Jodzio to “go get Tardif.” The Nordiques also demanded Bud Poile, a W.H.A. vice president, either be dismissed or that he resign.

The league responded by suspending five persons indefinitely including Jodzio and Crozier fining each team $25,000 for not controlling its players in the brawl; and announced the resignation of Poile, who the Nordiques had claimed was unfavorable to their cause.

Also suspended were Danny Lawson, the Calgary captain, Jean‐Guy Gendron. the Quebec coach, and Gord Gallant, a Quebec forward.

In McMurty's previous warrant; Maloney of the Red Wings was ordered to stand trial on charges of assault in connection with an on‐ice tight with Brian Glennie. a Toronto defenseman, who was taken to the hospital afterward. Maloney will stand trial in the near future.

Last summer, Dave Forbes of the Boston Bruins was tried for another on‐ice incident, involving Henry Boucha, then a Minnesota North Stars forward, who suffered a concussion and other injuries when he was allegedly butt‐ended in the face and pummeled by Forbes during a game in January, 1975.

The trial in Minneapolis ended in a hung jury and the prosecutors chose not to pursue the case further.

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