Name: When the barnstorming London Lions took 'Slap Shot' to Europe
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When the barnstorming London Lions took 'Slap Shot' to Europe

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Jan 29, 2021Doug Barkley, head coachAl CoatesDennis Polonich, forwardMurray Wing, defensemanBrian McCutcheon, forwardCoatesCharlie Shaw, defencemanCoatesBarkleyShawBarkleyCoatesShawCoatesBarkleyThe Lions won their first two games against two Swedish club teams then headed for Finland with an overall 19-1-2 record. But the winning streak came to an abrupt halt in Turku, where they lost 8-2.Barkley: How did I feel about that? I can tell you very easily. In the second intermission, I had the referee pinned up against the wall, my hands around his throat.We must have had 30 penalties called against us in that game. He called everything against us and nothing against the Finns. I don’t mind losing, but I don’t want to be cheated. I knew I was in trouble, but Coatesy called Bunny Ahearne and told him what was happening and they got me off the hook.Coates: Detroit actually called up Bunny Ahearne and said, “Look, this isn’t right. Our team’s getting 20 penalties to their two. Every game. We need an offset referee. We need somebody on our side. A two-referee system.”Barkley: The players didn’t fight in Europe. They’d spear you instead. So after a couple of the games, our guys said, “Fuck it. That’s enough of that.” If they were going to give our guys a stick, our guys were going to turn around and drop them with a punch.PolonichShawMcCutcheonShawDuffy McCarthy, forwardShawShawCoatesMcCutcheonPolonichCoatesMcCutcheonPolonichCoatesCoatesMcCutcheonMcCutcheonShawMcCarthyBarkleyCoatesIt wasn’t the only time the Lions’ combative style of play got them into trouble with the local authorities.Coates: The police come into the dressing room and one by one, they’re grabbing our guys and looking at their uniform numbers. They can’t find a Number 23.Barkley: They leave and we go back out and finish the game without a problem.BarkleyCoates:CoatesMcCarthyMcCutcheonbut made one quick whistle-stop trip back to Switzerland to play two games in two nights.ShawCoatesShawPolonichMcCarthyBarkleyPolonichOnce the Lions’ season closed, Coates and Barkley returned to the United States where they were surprised there was no official debrief from Norris or any of the interested parties. It just … ended. And that was the end of the London Lions.CoatesPolonichBarkley(Illustration: John Bradford / For The Athletic; photos / Getty Images; Evening Standard; courtesy Charlie Shaw)

Jan 29, 2021Doug Barkley, head coachAl CoatesDennis Polonich, forwardMurray Wing, defensemanBrian McCutcheon, forwardCoatesCharlie Shaw, defencemanCoatesBarkleyShawBarkleyCoatesShawCoatesBarkleyThe Lions won their first two games against two Swedish club teams then headed for Finland with an overall 19-1-2 record. But the winning streak came to an abrupt halt in Turku, where they lost 8-2.Barkley: How did I feel about that? I can tell you very easily. In the second intermission, I had the referee pinned up against the wall, my hands around his throat.We must have had 30 penalties called...

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Eric Duhatschek

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When the barnstorming London Lions took 'Slap Shot' to Europe

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