I've got a longer post about the Governor's Cup series between Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage that I'd been meaning to write, and last weekend's games didn't hurt the argument I was trying to make, but this incident has enough stand-alone stupidity to merit its own post.
Saturday's game between Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage to decide the Governor's Cup was a pretty tense one throughout that was tied at one apiece heading into the thrid period. Alaska took a 2-1 lead about seven minutes into the period, and shortly after the goal, Anchorage was given a 5-minute major and game disqualification for a contact to the head penalty.
A minute into that penalty, UAA's Tommy Grant picked up the puck and had a short-handed breakaway, but appeared to be taken down by an Alaska defender. That's when all hell broke loose. According to reports, UAA head coach Dave Shyiak tossed a water bottle from the bench out onto the ice. When play stopped, Shyiak climbed over the boards and out onto the ice to express his dissatisfaction with officials Brian Hill and Steve McInchak. After some discussion, Shyiak was given a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and ejected from the game. It took Alaska just 15 seconds to score with the two-man advantage, and that goal held up as the winner in a 3-2 Alaska victory.
It will be interesting to see what happens to Shyiak. I could see the WCHA just giving him a strong reprimand and warning him that if anything else like that happens, he's in serious trouble. In any case, for a guy that's feeling a little bit of heat and could end up on the chopping block, this incident certainly won't win over many people.
Personally, I applaud the creative use of the water bottle. But jumping out onto the ice? That's a move best left to the pros.
UPDATE: UAA's administration gave him a formal reprimand.