Patrick Kane's day with Stanley Cup goes from public to private amid investigation
There were no hospital visits. The traditional trip to the local pizzeria was canceled. The Keeper of the Cup Twitter account was quiet. Patrick Kane’s day with the Stanley Cup went from a public display of celebration to a private event at his home in Hamburg, N.Y., not far from Buffalo.
Hamburg Town Police confirmed on Friday that they were investigating an incident that allegedly occurred at Kane’s home last weekend. Police Chief Gregory Wickett wouldn’t expand on specifics regarding the investigation, only adding that they are awaiting forensic results. Sources tell The Buffalo News that a woman claimed the Chicago Blackhawks forward brought her and a female friend back to his home and followed her into another room and "overpowered her and raped her." Afterward, the woman went to a local hospital where an examination took place and police were later notified.
Kane has not been charged with anything as of Sunday.
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As Wickett announced his short statement Friday morning, the Cup was in Buffalo at the home of Blackhawks’ Senior Advisor Scotty Bowman. There was some question about whether the Cup would make its way to Kane for his planned day, but according to the Associated Press a private event was held with family and friends at his home.
Just after 5 p.m., bar staff loaded bags of buns and numerous large tin bins of food into the back of a pickup truck and transported them to Kane's home where the party took place instead. The pickup truck was allowed in through the front gates, and numerous cars were spotted parked on the lawn of the recently built home on the shore of Lake Erie.
A neighbor said someone posted a few signs — one of which she said read: "I wouldn't kiss the Cup" — across the street from Kane's home. Those signs, however, were taken down by evening, and only their taped remnants remained.
The AP also reported that Kane has hired lawyer Paul Cambria, who also represented him in 2009 after he was accused of assaulting a Buffalo cab driver. The alleged victim's family, according to The Buffalo News, have hired laywer Thomas Eoannou.
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
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