Banana Thrown at Black Player during NHL Pre-Season Game

Wayne Simmonds shrugs it off, scores a shootout goal, and takes the high road, while the loser fan remains at large.

You know who can be the worst sometimes? Hockey fans. As the bleachers of arenas across the country are one of the few places where gay epithets are commonly acceptable (especially if followed by the word "Alfredsson"), they tend to have a habit of giving cover to lily-livered racists, such as the idiot who threw a banana at Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who is black, at a pre-season game in London, Ont., yesterday. The Flyers and Detroit Red Wings were in a shootout when Simmonds lined up for his opportunity. Before he started his rush, a banana peel was thrown on the ice. Simmonds, unfazed, scored the goal regardless, his second of the night. Afterward, Simmonds, who's from Scarborough, Ont., casually played it off , saying that stuff like that is something he has to deal with "being black in a predominately white sport." While the peel thrower has so far remained unidentified, it's good to know there was at least one respectful adult there last night.

This isn't the first time banana peels have been thrown at black NHLers. Montreal Canadiens fans threw a peel at former Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Kevin Weekes during the 2002 playoffs. If you've got a minute, this CNN interview with four black players on the Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets) – Anthony Stewart, Evander Kane, Dustin Byflugien, and Johnny Oduya – is worth a gander for more insight into racism in the game.