Chartiers Valley Students Ejected From Hockey Game

The entire Chartiers Valley student section watching a high school hockey game against Bishop Canevin on Monday night was ejected for rowdy behavior at the Mt. Lebanon Rec Center ice rink.

Mt. Lebanon police Lt. Aaron Lauth said it’s not unusual for a few students to be ejected from a game, but he can’t recall an entire section ever being removed for bad behavior.

“We’ve had to eject students before, and groups for behavior,” Lauth said, “but ejecting all the students, that’s the first time I’ve been familiar with it.”

Lauth said a Mt. Lebanon police officer working security during the game warned some Chartiers Valley student of their behavior early in the game after they were apparently chanting profanities. When that continued minutes later, the officer told “a pretty big group” that they had to leave immediately, Lauth said.

Click here to watch the Trib Total Media's broadcast of the game on PIHL's website

Later in the game, someone threw a plastic soda bottle onto the ice, Lauth said. Others apparently threw coins on the ice at some point in third period of the 6-5 loss.

“The officer and the referees saw it,” Lauth said. “The referees and officer were in a agreement that this was the last straw so all of the students were then ejected from the game and asked to leave.”

Lauth said the referees were adamant that the game would not continue unless “the problem was solved.” Other Mt. Lebanon police officers arrived to assist with the situation.

That led to a flurry of tweets from Chartiers Valley students Monday night that ranged from anger toward the police to bewilderment for the ejections.

Lauth contacted the principals at both high schools and informed them of the situation.

“They were going to take steps on their own to talk to the students about future behavior,” he said.

Chartiers Valley Superintendent Brian White Jr. said the school district is aware of the situation, but unsure what, if any, discipline would be appropriate for an off-campus club hockey game.

“We can’t indiscriminately discipline kids,” White said. “I don’t have specifics about the incident.”

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