It's interesting that you would place the majority of the blame on
Cole.  I agree that he did not have a good game, and I personally
thought Providence got the shaft on a bunch of calls/non-calls.
(Before anyone labels me a homer, I am a UNH fan.)  However, I would
not place much blame on him.
 
IMO, the resonsibility for this absurdity has to fall on the shoulders
of the two head coaches, Pooley and Umile.  These two guys acted like
children, yelling and screaming at each other at center ice after the
game.  I mean, a linesman had to physically separate them, or they
probably would have started fighting.  I don't know what they were
arguing about, and I don't care.  These guys are supposed to set an
example for their teams.  And you know what?  They did.  The players
followed their coaches' lead.
 
I really didn't see which player(s) initially caused the brawl.  I was
focusing on the two coaches.  Everything happened so quickly --
everyone was quickly paired off.  And most of them really were
fighting, not just "dancing with a partner" as you often see in the
NHL.  I think Cole could legitimately DQ 2/3 of each team.  Will he?
I don't know.  I think there's a very good argument for forcing each
team to simply forfeit its next game.  If Cole hands out anything more
than token DQs, I don't think either team can field a competitive
lineup.  And if there is any justice, the coaches should be suspended
too.
 
It was a sad ending to a good hockey game.
 
Chris
 
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