Jet says give the jest a rest
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Jets defenseman Adam Pardy knows he’ll be seeing the highlight for years to come — Brandon Bollig drilling him through the glass, a scrum ensuing, a fan ripping Pardy’s helmet off and wearing it himself, another fan pouring beer on Pardy’s head.
Clips like that don’t just go away.
“It’s a funny situation,” Pardy said Thursday morning before his Jets faced the Blackhawks at MTS Centre. “It’s hockey, you get fired up, and a moment there where something like that happens, it’s a little crazy. I’m sure it’ll be a good highlight for a long time. But put it to rest and move on.”
Pardy kept prefacing his comments to a couple of Chicago reporters by saying he wasn’t supposed to be talking about the incident, or the so-called fan “Helmet Pardy” that was shut down by Jets chairman Mark Chipman on Wednesday. Spurred on by a local radio DJ, fans had been planning to wear helmets to the game. But Chipman said Wednesday that fans wearing helmets would not be allowed in the building.
“Chip did the right thing shutting that down,” Pardy said. “It maybe could have
“It’s hockey, you get fired up, and a moment there where something like that happens, it’s a little crazy. I’m sure it’ll be a good highlight for a long time. But put it to rest and move on.” Adam Pardy, on fan incident at the United Center
gotten out of hand. With everything that went on, and the way it was handled by the Blackhawks, it was just the right thing to do.”
Pardy and Chipman pointed out that the Hawks had apologized for the incident, and Chipman said the helmet thief had apologized personally and made a donation to Jets charities. Pardy also earned plaudits for the way he handled the incident — calmly and with good humor.
Winnipeg native Jonathan Toews said both sides were able to laugh it off.
“It was a light situation,” Toews said. “Everyone can laugh at that and not take it too seriously. . . . It’s no harm, no foul. Just kind of a fan having a good time — as long as no one gets hurt.”