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Nathan MacKinnon reacts to Tom Wilson’s Olympic fighting support after nasty hit
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- Nathan MacKinnon reacts to Tom Wilson’s Olympic fighting support after nasty hit
Nathan MacKinnon reacts to Tom Wilson's Olympic fighting support after nasty hit appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Canada moved to 3-0 in Olympic play, with a 10-2 victory over France. Still, the score may not be the talking point for the game, as Canada's Tom Wilson dropped the gloves against Pierre Crinon .
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While there is no fighting at the Olympics, Wilson engaged in combat after a hit against Nathan MacKinnon , and after the contest, MacKinnon reacted to the bout per ESPN.
"That guy obviously didn't want to fight Tom," MacKinnon said. "He just wanted to wrestle. I wouldn't want to fight Tom either."
Wilson, who is likely to be the captain of the washington Captials when Alex Ovechkin retires, is known for his physical play and is also known for his amazing locker room presence. While Wilson did not speak to reporters after the game, his teammates made sure to stand up and support him, including Sam Bennett.
"We know Willy's got our backs," Bennett said. "He's going to protect all our guys and bring the energy. We love that from Willy. He's going to do anything for our team.
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Crinon hit MacKinnon high and was given a two-minute minor penalty for the hit. He apologized for the hit, but still had to take punishment for hitting one of the top players on the team in an illegal fashion. Canada did not like the hit, as noted by Connor McDavid.
"We didn't like the hit, felt like it was late and high," McDavid said after the game. "Willy just finishes a check and the guy jumps him, and Willy's just protecting himself. That's all he can do. That's the type of guy he is, type of teammate he is. Nothing but respect for him."
The IIHF gives a misconduct penalty to fightning, unlike the just the five minute major in the NHL. Still, Wilson will take the ice again in the quarterfinals when Canada takes the ice again.
Canada is the gold medal favorite and will have a bye into the quarterfinals, awaiting their next opponent on Feb. 18.
Related: What is next for Team USA men's hockey after dominant Olympic round robin performance?
Related: Jack Eichel was all of us when hearing about Canada-France Olympic fight
