The fan accosted by the Vancouver Canucks’ Rick Rypien on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center said he is considering legal action against the National Hockey League player.
“I’m definitely going to look into some legal counsel and see what my options are,” James Engquist, 28, of Mendota Heights said Wednesday night. “I consider this assault. He definitely assaulted me.”
The incident started when Rypien was sent off the ice after he tried in vain to get back at Wild forward Brad Staubitz on the heels of a brief scuffle in front of the Minnesota bench at 13:38 of the second period. As Rypien headed up the runway toward the team’s dressing room, he reached up and grabbed Engquist, who was applauding.
“(Rypien) was getting escorted down the hallway when I was clapping and saying, ‘Way to be a professional’ to him,” Engquist said. “Then he instantly makes eye contact with me and comes at me and grabs me by the jersey (Engquist was wearing a white Wild jersey).
“There’s a railing that kind of separates a kind of hallway the players come out of onto the ice. He basically got up on that railing and got into the stands and grabbed me. I’m kind of backing up at this point as he’s grabbing me and kind of bringing me over the rail almost.”
On Wednesday, the NHL indefinitely suspended Rypien pending a hearing.
Engquist said he was “a little sore” Wednesday, but “I don’t think it was anything serious. It could be more stress or what not. I’m more emotionally really shook up from the whole situation. I love hockey and I’ve been to plenty of games in my life, but I never would expect to experience something like that.”
Rypien is 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds. Engquist, at 6-4 and 220 pounds, said he is a former three-sport high school athlete at Bethany Academy.
Engquist said he had not been contacted by the NHL or the Wild. Would he like an apology from the NHL and the Wild?
“I think that’s appropriate,” he said. “It’s like taking care of the fans instead of just sweeping them under the rug.”
Many people in the hockey community condemned Rypien’s actions in Vancouver’s 6-2 lost, though a teammate and his coach stood behind him.
ESPN analyst and former NHL coach and player Barry Melrose, appearing on the “SportsNation” television show, said there is never justification for a player going after a fan in the stands.
“Fans are untouchable; it’s a black and white issue,” Melrose said. “You cannot touch a fan in today’s NHL.”
The Vancouver Sun conducted an online poll asking how long Rypien’s suspension should be, and the largest chunk — 38.9 percent — selected “more than 10 games.” Other options were three games, five games and 10 games, with just above 21 percent voting for three games or 10 games and about 18.3 percent voting for five.
The NHL issued a statement saying it would have no comment on the matter until it is resolved. Rypien is expected to meet with NHL executives Friday to learn how long he will be out.
Canucks coach Alain Vigneault vouched for Rypien’s integrity Wednesday but would not comment on Rypien’s actions or on a meeting he and Canucks general manager Mike Gillis had with Rypien.
“At this time, I am going to save my comments until after the league has done their investigation and have come up with a decision,” Vigneault told Vancouver reporters. “Obviously, Mike and I have talked to Ryp this afternoon and we’re going to let things unfold. In my case, I will comment once this thing is cleared up by the NHL.”
Rypien’s teammate Manny Malhotra told reporters after the game: “The fan got a little bit too involved, and there’s just no place for that in the game. There are boundaries that should never be crossed.”
Rypien, 26, had fought with Staubitz in the first period and both were penalized. Linesman Don Henderson separated them the second time in front of the Minnesota bench, and it appeared Rypien shoved Henderson after the two reached the Vancouver bench.
Staubitz said he had the worst vantage point in the arena to see what happened behind the Canucks’ bench, but fielded calls Wednesday from friends who saw the incident on TV.
“You never like to see that,” he said. “There’s that line that you can’t cross.”
The Wild on Wednesday confirmed that Engquist talked with Mark Stoffel, senior director of operations for the St. Paul Arena Co., and that Engquist and his brother were escorted to new seats on the glass after the incident.
The writers can be reached at cwalters@pioneerpress.com and bbrothers@pioneerpress.com.
