What does the National Hockey League (NHL) and Brick Street on a Saturday night have in common? The potential for a good old fashioned throw down. Except in the NHL, drunken frat boys jockeying for a position at the bar aren't starting the fights. Some people don't like the fighting and don't think there is a place in the NHL for such shenanigans.
Hold on bro ... fighting and hockey go hand in hand.
Physical contact is a huge part of hockey and even though it is not an objective of the sport itself, hitting is part of the game just as much as tackling in football. Obviously, after a player is crushed into the boards and falls to the ice, they aren't going to be pleased with the opponent.
Like in all sports, sometimes emotions run high. Players on the receiving end of a blow out, someone who took a seemingly unwarranted hit or teams that flat out hate each other provide prime fighting conditions.
The thing that sets hockey apart from most other sports is the ability to settle differences by fighting without the consequence of ejection. In hockey, penalties still occur, but players are able to take matters into their own hands and explain why the opposing player was wrong with their fists.
There are very few moments in sports that electrify entire stadiums more than when two players drop their gloves and begin the fisticuffs. Ever been to a Miami hockey game? When there is even a hint of a fight, the entire crowd goes nuts.
A fight ignites the crowd for better or for worse. If the hometown player wins, the crowd goes wild and the excitement buzzes through the stands to provide a significant home ice advantage. If the hometown player loses, boos can sometimes occur and the restlessness of the crowd resembles that of Browns fans when they draft another quarterback.
While the point should be made there is way more to hockey than the fighting, most people can't help themselves to wonder if the Jack Johnsons and Tom O'Learys will fly during the game.
If you're into the fighting, there are some epic ones to check out, usually labeled on YouTube as simply "GREATEST HOCKEY FIGHT EVER!!!!!"
One such fight occurred over the duration of the entire game May 5, 2004 when the Philadelphia Flyers met the Ottawa Senators. It was a brawl to say the least, as everyone on the ice was involved in a fight including the two goalies. The game finally ended with a mere 419 penalty minutes.
A minor league fight put boxing to shame when the two contestants stood tall and punched each other repeatedly in the face for five straight seconds without either attempting to dodge a single blow.
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Sorry to all the pacifists out there, but the fist-to-face diplomacy brings a lot more to hockey than missing teeth, broken noses and a five minute time out. Fighting captivates the crowd and provides an unbridled intensity that is unrivaled by other sports.
But don't worry, brochacho, your fight will definitely entertain someone: the readers of the police beat.
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