Scotiabank Place offers regrets, return trip to attacked Sabres fan

By Joanne Laucius , ottawa citizen

Scotiabank Place has stepped in to make amends to a Buffalo woman who was reportedly knocked down by two Senators fans and punched repeatedly after Game 4 Wednesday night. The woman suffered a concussion.

The facility's executive director and vice-president, Tom Conroy, e-mailed Renee Luck and husband Sean to express his regrets and offer them tickets to a Sabres game in Ottawa, along with dinner at Club Red and a stay at the Westin Hotel.

The offer extends to Game 6 - should it be necessary - or to a game of their choice next season.
Ms. Luck, 31, was at the Senators-Sabres game with a group of Buffalo visitors. At the end of the game, she remarked that Senators fans should put their brooms away, referring to the brooms some were carrying in anticipation of a Senators sweep of the series.

Without warning, two young men knocked down Ms. Luck and a friend, 28-year-old Kristin Brown, Mr. Luck said Friday. Ms. Luck was punched several times before friends were able to intervene, he said.

Ottawa police arrived soon after. They detained two suspects who are not currently in police custody. No charges have been laid. Ms. Luck was treated for a concussion before returning home.

The incident has drawn the wrong kind of attention to Ottawa hockey culture. The news has hit radio, print and television in Buffalo and was even mentioned on CNN. This kind of fan behaviour is rare at Scotiabank Place, said Mr. Conroy. "I've been here for 12 years and this is unprecedented."

Ms. Brown said she was surprised by the attack. "My jersey was grabbed, then I was down and Renee was being punched. Up until then, I had been having a great time."

Ms. Luck sustained facial injuries and paramedics advised her to go to an emergency room. She decided to hold off until returning home to Buffalo on Thursday, said Mr. Luck.

Doctors said his wife suffered a concussion and a contusion to her left orbital bone, the bone that surrounds the eye. Despite her injuries, she has returned to work as a high school special education teacher and is declining requests for interviews, said Mr. Luck.

"She doesn't know what to tell everyone. She's just embarrassed."
Investigating officer Sgt. Allan McConnell said police require witnesses to lay charges - preferably the person who claims an injury. Police had no option but to release the suspects because on Wednesday night the Lucks said they would not return to Ottawa to testify, said Sgt. McConnell.

However, police have requested a written statement from the Lucks and will interview the suspects. Charges could still be laid.

Meanwhile, the incident has stirred up questions in Buffalo about fan behaviour.
"I heard about it on the radio. This has been very upsetting. Two knuckleheads hitting a woman. It puts a black eye on Ottawa," said Buffalo resident Mark Rittling, 41, a Sabres season-ticket holder. "There's nothing wrong with bantering back and forth. We all do it. It doesn't have to go that far."

Mr. Luck said his wife would not want the incident to spark further incidents of violence between fans.
"That's the last thing my wife wants. My wife is adamant she wants no retaliation. Why stoop to that level?"
Mr. Luck said he and his wife visited Ottawa last year for a hockey game and enjoyed the experience so much they wanted to return this year. Even on Wednesday night after she was attacked, Senators fans helped to hold the suspects until police arrived, he said. Just before the attack, a pair of Senators fans wearing gladiator costumes had asked him to be in a photo with them.

"Honestly, you have the nicest fans in the world," said Mr. Luck. "I still say the same thing. It's just these two morons."

Right now, however, there is nothing that could entice the Lucks back to Ottawa - perhaps not even Scotiabank Place's offer of the best seats in the house. Mr. Luck said he doesn't know if he and his wife will accept the tickets - although he jokes there is one thing that might smooth things over.

"We did come up with one thing they could offer us - the Senators dropping the next two games."

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quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed

Ottawa's fans are pretty lame so far but that was way too overboard. Those thugs must be from Cornwall

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quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed

quote:

Without warning, two young men knocked down Ms. Luck and a friend, 28-year-old Kristin Brown, Mr. Luck said Friday. Ms. Luck was punched several times before friends were able to intervene, he said.

theres a whole other side of this that a couple people who witnessed called in and even emailed the team and told them they would testify if they had to -- apparently this dumb ass had her hands on the guy behind her and she hit him because she had her hat knocked off, at the same time she wouldnt let go of the guys shirt and his friends were telling her to let go of his shirt and she took a swing at his friend and then he did right back to her... they also had said when the cops were there they wouldnt take any comments from anybody in a red fucking jersey only buffalo jerseys.. theres 2 sides to everything...

** by team i mean team1200

hmmm. Well, it seemed like something was missing from the initial report (imo) so should be interesting to see if that info becomes known to the public. You should never never lay a hand on a woman.. but if she kicks you in the balls...

This made CNN, apparently. Lets hope they don't continue to cover this

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quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed

both teams gonna be well-rested before the Series starts next Monday. Hmmm, so the last few Cups have been won by Florida, North Carolina, now California? Me thinks Sens in six.

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quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed

quote:

Originally posted by Spin Laden it's because their team hasn't played in a Stanley Cup final IN THE PAST FOURTY YEARS ... .. meanwhile, all the other Canadian teams have all participated in the past 13. I'm repeating myself but it's fun

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quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed

games are Monday, Wed, Sat.. all start at 8PM EDT.

Kate, since you're the only one interested in this thread, I need some new angry, hard techno for my workouts.. Bladerunner style without excessive bpm.. what sets do you suggest?

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quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed

decent game, gonna be lots of hungover, tired ppl tomorrow.. making O-town ppl even more lamer than usual

The Ducks play like linebackers, def will be some Sens' casualties before the Cup is over with.

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quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed

you are starting to sound like polka58 talking by yourself about the renegades

heh heh. Those posts rank up there with Thizzlamic and Spiffy.

___________________

quote:

Originally posted by Ravemontreal Once I took a piss in front of everybody at Stereo. Put the garbage under the mixer, and did it right there while people were dancing and screaming. people thought I was playing with the mixer but I was playing with my zizi.

quote:

Originally posted by Enjoy a classic from the aria days: me: are you on TA? girl: uhhhh... im on speed