Hockey

The NHL’s Board of Governors, meeting in St. Petersburg, Fla., voted to continue to study the possibility of NHL players participating in the Winter Olympics.

NHL President Gil Stein also asked subcommittees to review position papers on a proposal to punish fighting with ejection. The anti-fighting forces say that not increasing the penalty for fisticuffs would hinder the NHL’s chances of getting a network television contract; the pro-fighting side says that a ban would promote an increase in illegal stickwork.

“The issue comes down to what kind of confrontation is desirable,” the pro-fighting paper contends. “Hockey players carry weapons. Is the player who is frustrated by illegal tactics to respond with an accepted, safe and natural release of emotions through fisticuffs, or is he to resort to stickwork.”