Crawford Fined $10,000 for Hostilities in Game 4

Colorado Avalanche Coach Marc Crawford was remorseful and apologetic for his Game 4 tirade that resulted in a $10,000 fine by the league Friday.

The fine was assessed after Crawford berated Detroit Coach Scotty Bowman and attempted to get to the Red Wings’ bench during his team’s 6-0 loss in the Western Conference finals Thursday night.

After Colorado forward Mike Keane slashed Detroit’s Igor Larionov, Crawford climbed halfway up the glass that separates the benches to scream at Bowman. As his obscenity-laced tirade continued, he had to be physically restrained.

“He said, ‘We got your guy,’ ” Bowman said. “I told him, ‘This is a hockey game and let’s just get it over with.’ His eyes were coming out of his head, so I guess he was a little excited.”

Said Crawford: “What I did was inappropriate. You have a responsibility as a head coach in a prestigious league like the NHL to carry yourself with a lot more dignity than I did. For that, I am very sorry.”

The fine will be paid by the team, not Crawford, and the money goes to the NHL Foundation.

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Paul Kariya said Friday he reacted to the news Ron Wilson would not return as Mighty Duck coach the way almost everyone else did.

“I was pretty shocked,” said Kariya, speaking for the first time about Wilson’s departure after four seasons as coach. “I don’t understand the off-the-ice stuff they’re talking about. I don’t really know what really went on behind the scenes, and maybe that outweighs what he did on the ice.”