The Edmonton Oilers are reacting to allegations made by a Calgary restaurant claiming some of the all-star players refused to pay a nearly $17,000 bill in full when dining at the eatery on New Year's Eve.
"I'll put it this way, I don't quite think the truth is out there," said Oiler forward Patrick O'Sullivan on Monday. "Taking care of it from a legal standpoint," he added.
Surveillance video from the Osteria de Medici on Dec. 31st shows some of the athletes in the dining room, and the owner, Maurizio Terrigno frustrated at the apparent dispute. Terrigno says the players wanted to pay for dozens of shooters by the bottle, and not individually.
The liquor tab alone on the bill was more than $8,000. Terrigno says the restaurant normally adds an automatic 18 per cent gratuity for a large group, bringing the total of the bill to just under $16,800.
Both parties negotiated, and the players ended up paying $12,000.
The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission is now investigating the Calgary eatery, following a tip that the Oilers were over-served alcohol. The commission will also determine if the eatery's staff had pro-serve training, which became mandatory on Jan. 1st. And depending on its findings, the restaurant could face a fine, or lose its liquor licence.
"Eventually these things sort themselves out and the truth will come out," said Oilers defenceman Sheldon Souray.
Those who work in the industry say even if there was a dispute over the bill, the argument shouldn't have been made public.
"As a restaurateur, you want to protect your patronage," said Christine Scheetz, Sorrentino's manager. "They are your bread and butter, they are the people that pay the bills, and at the end of the day you want to make sure that both sides are happy."
Osteria de Medici says the matter has now been resolved with the Oilers.
The Oilers had battled the Calgary Flames earlier in the night, but lost by a score of 2-1.
With files from Sonia Sunger
