Joel Ward Hit With Racist Twitter Reaction After Penalty In Rangers-Capitals Game 5

Washington Capitals winger Joel Ward handled his costly penalty against the New York Rangers in Game 5 with class. According to Chris Botta of Sports Business Journal, the 31-year-old was waiting for reporters when the Caps' locker room opened for post-game media availability.

Sadly, some of the reactions to Wards' innopportune penalty -- his first since February, per D.C. radio host Holden Kushner -- on Twitter were anything but classy as he was the target of racists tweets once again. Ward had previously been targeted by similarly ugly tweets after he scored the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the first-round series between the Caps and Boston Bruins.

WARNING: UNCENSORED TWEETS BELOW

The vitriol was sparked by a high-sticking penalty whistled against Ward, who was born in Canada to parents who emigrated from Barbados, with 21.3 seconds remaining in the third period of Game 5 against the Rangers. At that point, Washington held a 2-1 lead and seemed on the verge of taking a 3-2 lead in the series. However, the Rangers used the ensuing two-man advantage (empty net) to score with 6.6 seconds left.

Following Rangers defenseman Marc Staal's game-winner in the extra period, some took to Twitter and used the N-word to show their disdain with Ward in regards to the penalty.

WARNING: UNCENSORED TWEETS CONTAIN OFFENSIVE LANGUGE

@AwesomeAl_
allen

This guy will contribute to society @C_Flight14 I blame a nigger named Joel Ward

May 8, 2012 2:54 am via web Reply Retweet Favorite

@The_PigPen
J Var

Joel "nigger" Ward got what he deserved tn #coon #burnthedarkies

May 8, 2012 2:59 am via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite

For more examples of the racism spewed against Ward after the Capitals' loss, visit visit Rant Sports and Black Sports Online.

Following Ward's game-winning goal to send the Bruins home, websites Chirpstory and Capitals Outsider collected many of the racist tweets directed at him. In New England, students who were among those tweeting hateful things about Ward were subject to school discipline.

"It doesn't faze me at all," Ward told USA Today after the previous incident. "We won, and we are moving on. People are going to say what they want to say."

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Comments

[Jbjowe]

04:53 PM on 05/12/2012

Republicans.

[Js420]

03:45 PM on 05/10/2012

Not all republicans are racist but if you're a racist you probably vote republican.

[dda501958]

10:22 AM on 05/10/2012

Joel Ward played a fairly solid game 6 last night. I would love to see him score another game seven winning goal!

[drdjr24]

06:27 PM on 05/09/2012

WOW!! Really?...in 2012 this garbage is still goin on...dont feed the fire by publicizing these idiots...ROK ON Ward

[BiggpussJr]

02:06 PM on 05/09/2012

For more examples of the racism spewed against Ward after the Capitals' loss, visit visit Rant Sports and Black Sports Online.

Why would anyone need MORE examples? Again HuffPost errs on the side of sensationalism. Why give these "people" a voice?

[timosides]

12:19 PM on 05/09/2012

Like the lion in that old movie....cowardly.

[liz29]

08:23 AM on 05/09/2012

I think Huff Po and the other media outlets should handle the story by simply stating ''Once again Joel Ward was the target of bigots'' and give them no more publicity unless of course you find out their actual names and print that info because we all know bigots and bullies can't stand the light of day.

[AwesomeAl]

04:49 AM on 05/09/2012

The first tweet on this article is not my tweet. It is simply a a misuse of Twitter. The tweet about Ward came from C_Flight41 's Twitter account which has since been suspended if you would like to check. I was simply attempting to retweet the tweet and add the statement that what he said was wrong. I forgot the use of quotation marks in the Retweet and it made my tweet look like it was the whole thing. But it was not. I ask that you please clear this up somehow because it is potentially damaging to my reputation. If you guys had done the research you would know the racial slur in this tweet did not come from my keyboard, but form the other users.

[PowerPridePinstripes]

06:32 AM on 05/09/2012

Yeah ok, but don't retweet this vitirol.

[AwesomeAl]

07:13 AM on 05/09/2012

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/05/racists-attack-joel-ward-of-capitals-on-twitter----again-washington-capitals-new-york-rangers-nhl-boston-bruins-twitter/1#.T1tFLMrgIb0 That's the link to the USA TODAY story.. the linke that says WARNING, explicit content linked will take you to the original tweet from C_Flight14

[Veneita Brown]

10:35 PM on 05/09/2012

you're just as bad because you are retweeted this nonsense

[Harlanlover]

02:59 AM on 05/09/2012

Since they can't lynch anymore this is all they have.

[PowerPridePinstripes]

06:33 AM on 05/09/2012

Oh please -- they still lynch...

[Harlanlover]

10:37 AM on 05/09/2012

True, that. Sorry James Byrd, James Craig Anderson, et al.

[jfrank5317]

02:10 AM on 05/09/2012

Glad to see Ward is taking the high road, and letting his hockey playing skills do the
talking for him. Hate can't beat out talent, and Ward has plenty of it.

[Andrea Doria]

01:43 AM on 05/09/2012

Those comments say more about commenter than anything. They're dumber than a bag of hammers.

[nnyl]

12:40 AM on 05/09/2012

Is there anything stupider than racism?

[Marc Driftmeyer]

02:55 AM on 05/09/2012

Xenophobia runs a close second.

[CommunistMold]

12:07 AM on 05/09/2012

Tasteless buffoons...

[CommunistMold]

11:57 PM on 05/08/2012

So tasteless...Real Caps fans have WAY more class than that.

[HockeyGirl74]

08:43 AM on 05/09/2012

And maybe NOW you guys know how us Real Bruins fans felt with the first twitter garbage against him. It is just a bunch of maroons and NOT the real fan.
They are all disgusting.

[Writerdude2011]

11:03 PM on 05/08/2012

And not a word of comment to their fans from the Rangers. Stay classy New York, that's why you have such a great reputation in the rest of the country. Classless slobs.

[mstephen1a]

12:21 AM on 05/09/2012

The racist commentors are likely Capital fans. Rangers fans are happy with the win.

[darkflameangelus]

09:53 AM on 05/09/2012

I was thinking the same thing, why would Rangers fans be upset with Ward, he took the penalty that made the win possible, lol