Tom Wilson fights in Canada’s game vs. France at the Olympics

By: Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press Posted: 12:41 PM CST Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026

MILAN (AP) — Who says there’s no fighting in hockey at the Olympics?

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This article was published 15/02/2026 (205 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MILAN (AP) — Who says there’s no fighting in hockey at the Olympics?

Tom Wilson dropped the gloves late in Canada’s game against France on Sunday, going after the player who delivered a forearm to the head of teammate Nathan MacKinnon minutes earlier.

Wilson fought Pierre Crinon, who was given a two-minute minor penalty and apologized to MacKinnon after the hit in the third period.

France's Pierre Crinon (7) and Canada's Tom Wilson (43) fight in the third period during a preliminary round game of men's ice hockey between Canada and France at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Unlike the NHL, where it is a five-minute major penalty, fighting is a game misconduct under international rules, so Wilson and Crinon were ejected.

Wilson also had a goal and an assists, with the fight giving him what is known in hockey as a “Gordie Howe hat trick.”

The 31-year-old winger is one of just a few new players for Canada who did not play at the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago, when there were three fights in the first nine seconds of the team’s first game against the U.S. He was a no-doubt pick for his physicality and ability to retrieve pucks, along with producing at a high level back in North America with the Washington Capitals.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics