Match between Port Hope and Lindsay turns ugly in the dying minutes. There will be no charges laid after a hockey brawl in Lindsay that left a bench cleared and two teams shrouded in controversy.

The Lindsay Muskies and the Port Hope Predators faced off in OPJHL action on Friday, Sept. 14, in the second game of the season between the two rivals. A Port Hope win in the first game assured a heated rematch, but when the Preds carried a comfortable 4-1 lead into the final minutes of the game, things got ugly.

In a skirmish that saw numerous players from both teams receive game misconducts for fighting, the Muskies bench cleared and fighting ensued in front of the Predators bench. After Lindsay captain Corey George, who received a game misconduct and suspension for abuse of an official, jostled with players on the Port Hope bench, Preds coach Brian Drumm was accused of striking George during the brawl. "They thought someone hit their player and they thought it was me," Drumm said. "I don't do that. I've never done that, and I'm not going to start now. It's not the coach's job to get involved in fighting."

The coach's job is to control his players in circumstances such as this, and Drumm points out he did just that. "I know how to handle a team in this situation. I was just trying to keep my guys on the bench. They were trying to come in our bench, and our guys beat them back. (The Muskies) wanted to fight. They emptied their bench, not us."

Drumm said he pushed George back from the bench and away from his players, but did not strike him. As Drumm fought to hold on to two players whom George was grappling with, he took a couple of accidental shots from the Muskies captain, something the Kawartha Lakes Police Service, which was on the scene to investigate, is aware of.

"The police told me 'You had due rights to defend yourself'. I wasn't going to do that to the kid. I wasn't his target," said Drumm.

The police, which did not return phone calls, have concluded the investigation of the incident an indicated through e-mail to the Preds that no charges would be laid against Drumm. Steven Neal, director of player personnel for Port Hope, was satisfied with the outcome. "We are confident in the investigation efforts and findings of the Kawartha Lakes Police Services," he said.

Though the police are finished with the incident, Ontario Hockey Association President Brent Ladds has only begun his investigation and more suspensions may be forthcoming, he said.

"I'll have to talk to some of the people involved," said Ladds, on Tuesday. "There were automatic minimum suspensions for the infractions. If there are people warranting more than the minimum (further action will be taken)."

Port Hope players Kenny Allen, Greg Amato, Sean Bassingthwaite, Ian DeLong and Mitch Moffatt all received game misconducts for fighting, and all but Amato received accompanying two game suspensions. Drumm received a two game suspension as well, the first of which was served on Saturday where the Preds trounced the Quinte West Pack 8-1. The team is undefeated in four games to start the season and hope to stay that way this week when they play a rare Friday home game against Bowmanville.

As for the Muskies, whose officials did not return calls for comment, they will see more of the Predators before the season is out, but don't expect any retaliation from Port Hope's players, Neal said.

"We will be in Lindsay again later this season and only to play hockey," said Neal.