Brits React to Top 10 NHL Fights Of All Time

[@BB-vo8bv]

This is why we laugh at footballers...in football you pretend you're hurt - in hockey, you pretend you're not.

[@JoeCrow5542]

YES!!!!! Thank you!

[@abancwele]

And that justifies two grown men on skates beating each other up like punks in a bar? Hockey fights are dumb.

[@JoeCrow5542]

@@abancwele Spoken by a soccer fan lol

[@michaelhamm6805]

@@abancwele That fleur-de-lis speaks volumes...have the French ever won a fight? Didn't think so....

[@miller496]

@@abancwele You do not know hockey buddy. Stick to soccer, you’re less likely to be triggered that way.

[@nanashiboyz]

I'm a Canadian who has played hockey all my life. The refs don't stop the fights for the following reasons: (1) It's part of the sport - see The Code (video) for an explanation, (2) It is dangerous for them to try, and (3) the players will not stop fighting just because some refs want them to. Note that the refs clear the area of equipment (gloves, helmets, sticks) to make it "safe" for the fighters and will continue to monitor the fight as it goes on to make sure The Code is followed and no "intent to injure" happens such as kicking or other actions that are against the code. The refs step in once one or both fighters drop to the ice. At this point it makes sense for the refs to intervene because (1) the fight is over, (2) The Code is satisfied, and (3), the fighters are tired and "out of gas" and therefore can be physically separated.

[@rogersmallman8960]

Not to mention that you're a bit calmer after a good tilt, lol

[@colinwilson4609]

Terry O'Reilly remains my childhood hero.

[@everythingcjo3758]

Well said brotha!! that pretty much sums it all up. Fighting in Hockey is part of our culture, it's how we roll!

[@theorillian]

I played Defense and in East end Toronto. I would absolutely crush you in the boards. Imagine a person who fights on Skates. The pick on me with out skates. You're fucked

[@Bob-l4q6f]

That was so typically British of the woman at the 0:41 point in the video to refer to hockey skates as "shoes."

[@RyanESmail]

“The Code” is a really good hockey video to watch explaining how fights are part of the sport

[@alakabam4664]

There's a good book too called the code

[@ArmandoG2013]

Fighting is illegal in hockey but you just get a five minute penalty, hockey players use fighting to protect their star players from getting hurt and about not being allowed in the UK, this is America and Canada and fighting is the way we grew up

[@devantewilliams2169]

But you also get a 10 minute game misconduct penalty as well.

[@jimlandreth6740]

Yeah Gretzky had Dave samenko at Edmonton and mart mcsorley in LA. Good stuff back then!

[@41italia]

@@devantewilliams2169 no you don't, not in a one on one fight.

[@devantewilliams2169]

@@41italia right.

[@ActiœnMan]

​​@devantewilliams2169 game misconduct isn't 10 minutes. It can be for the remainder for the period or the rest of the game.

[@emaniburton9422]

Fighting is definitely part of the sport lol

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

Not much anymore.

[@Cory_Springer]

Fights-per-game leaked in the late 1980s, but they very much still happen.

[@mplslawnguy3389]

They won’t be for very much longer. The QMJHL already removed it I think, more leagues will follow. If someone gets badly hurt in the NHL going forward, I think they’re going to start seriously considering removing it altogether. With how litigious our society is, I just can’t see it being part of the sport very much longer. Plus all the latest research on CTE is not helping its case either.

[@gagestandingready1472]

😆 🤣 😂 Awesome

[@benphtobooth]

*was

[@onionhead5780]

I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out. 😂 🤣 😂 Rodney Dangerfield.

[@davidmorris6254]

Came here to find this comment, was not disappointed ❤

[@JoeCrow5542]

Beautiful! Thank You!

[@jamesmoyes3006]

I’m Canadian. I’ve been watching Hockey for 50 years. It’s not as rough as it used to be but yeah there’s fighting. It’s a very emotional game.

[@brosciencegutfeelings7058]

You should probably check out the video called “the code “. It gives you the reason they’re fighting is allowed in hockey for the players to help govern their safety and rules.

[@MWakefield82]

I second this comment. "The Code" will explain everything about fighting in hockey.

[@goatitisful]

True

[@billbennett9537]

And follow up with "Slapshot".

[@gagestandingready1472]

Good call.

[@gagestandingready1472]

​@billbennett9537 they are not prepared lol.

[@Kojak024]

Watch the video called The Code, it explains why fighting is a part of the game

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

Not much fighting anymore.

[@radioactivepenguin23]

​@ericsierra-franco7802 watch arber xhekaj play for montreal canadiens. There's a reason he was called the sherif when he played for kitchener. Man's a beast

[@abancwele]

@@radioactivepenguin23What a guy, huh? 🙄

[@williamreed7347]

Check out "Birth of the Rivalry: Fight Night at the Joe - Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche", it gives history of what is known as "The Brawl in Hockey town" melee that occurred March 26, 1997.

[@christineharrison7815]

Used to be called the bloodbath lol😅

[@answeris4217]

That video showed the next fight between Osgoode and Roy.

[@BerishStarr]

Best fight ever is in this video, at 10:54, the Good Friday Massacre in 1984, between Montreal - Quebec. They tried to restart that game many times. But brawls just kept going. There is a video here on YT of said brawl called "Nordiques vs Canadiens Apr 20, 1984 Good Friday Game". Its probably the biggest hockey brawl of all time 😆

[@chrissiecruise7196]

I loved your reaction! As a Canadian I've grown up on hockey so fist fights seem so normal to me. I sometimes forget that across the pond things are quite different so the shock was hilarious for me to watch

[@robertcopeland2946]

Fighting used to be a huge part of the game - Teams had "Enforcers" whos job was basically to fight and intimidate the other team. An old saying was that "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out!" They have slowly tried to eliminate fighting in hockey over the years. In the 70's and 80's you were guaranteed a fight per game and sometimes the players would even go into the stands and fight the fans! Another reason the refs get involved when they go down is because the skate blades can slice you wide open and it is more dangerous when the player is on the ground.

[@junemacdonald44]

I can only guess that that Detroit vs Colorado intro graphic towards the end was the “Brawl at Hockeytown”, but it seems like it didn’t play, so you should watch that one just for fun. It’s MY number one, being a Detroit fan, and there’s SO much backstory to it as well.

[@ronmurphy8863]

Right !!! #LGRW

[@stephaniekaminsky7497]

Fight Night at the Joe when Darren McCarty taught Claude Lemieux some new moves.

[@SmilingCave-mg7xq]

And back in the good ol days. Both guys would go for a beer after the game. Don’t forget these guys are gentlemen ( for the most part)😂

[@mattwilliams7454]

When everyone on the ice is fighting it's called a "line brawl". Everyone pairs up. Sometimes even the goalies

[@shortminute]

In our boxing gym over here in Alberta. Hockey players practice punching while wearing rollerblades.

[@kenhalinmckay5438]

Been in so many donney brooks, taken sucker punches, given some heavy rights, spent 80 minutes in one year in the penalty box. Had 2 times police called. Seen almost everything....🎉it is the best game on earth! I miss it all.

[@swgroove]

Domi vs Probert....classic fights

[@abancwele]

@@JoeCrow55422 idiots.

[@chardeemacdennis3852]

And not even shown

[@Curtis-y9r]

Not really. Domi fought Probert to a draw then acted like he won and made like he won the belt Next fight at MSG Probert kicked the shit out of him. My guess is you are from Hogtown.

[@ryanduggan7632]

Fighting is part of hockey. Like there are actual “rules” that go with it, like a code. It’s actually quite interesting why players fight, which players fight, who fights who, etc

[@EdmontonRealEstate01]

This is a sport that most of the United States of America knows little about, but in Canada it is THE sport.

[@CyberNut930]

That’s not true at all. Hockey isn’t the most popular sport in the US and certainly not as big as it is in Canada but it is well known and extremely popular in certain regions of the the US

[@EdmontonRealEstate01]

@@CyberNut930 Read my post again. I said "Something Americans know little about". In other words, Baseball, Football, Basketball and I'm sure a few more sports before Hockey shows up on the radar for most Americans even though America has way more teams in the NHL than Canada and America has been playing in the NHL since 1924. Most Canadians love hockey while most Americans don't.

[@AntoineWilliams7118]

This is why Canada nd USA are no longer controlled by Britain. Because North Americans are crazy and love to fight.

[@OhioOwns]

the NHL exists, and it's pretty big

[@grantchailler5808]

It is our sport !!,

[@BytownBlayne]

Mad Mike Milbury beating the fan with his own shoe is a classic. 🤘😆🤘

[@JeffinCO-h8w]

Oh, I remember that one. I was a freshman in high school when that happened. Milbury, Terry O'Reily, and Peter McNab up in the stands after a fan attacked one of the Bruins. It was Crazy!! Those are what we lovingly refer to as "the good old days" of hockey. 🤣

[@cutchopweld5717]

Fighting is the way Hockey polices itself. It's completely part of the sport since inception (more than 100 years). Opponents generally get 5 min offsetting penalties so neither team has advantage. (5 for Fighting). It's the most exciting sport there is to watch/play!

[@nuthinnobody3357]

The history says that at the first ever organized indoor game a fight broke out between the players and the spectators/people waiting for the “public skate” to begin 😂

[@LoveCats9220]

You’ll notice that even as the players are punching, they’ve holding onto the other player. This gives them stability on the ice

[@kwm4404]

Fighting is part of the sport and they don’t usually step in til someone falls. It’s kind of like crashing in NASCAR, a bonus part of the sport that fans love. Most teams will have an enforcer specifically to do the dirty work. They get sent to the penalty box afterward.

[@sagspirit1]

The refs don’t jump in until someone goes down. That keeps the ref from getting punched. Plus it lets the fighters get it out of their system.

[@NewJak14]

Fighting is a beloved part of the game in Canada! Some of my favorite memories of playing hockey was when we were throwing hands!

[@dutchcanuck11]

You should react to Best NHL Dangles and Best NHL Saves. It will show the pure skill of this amazing sport.

[@ORagnar]

Back in the 1970s bench clearing brawls were common in ice hockey. There was a popular joke that came out of this "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out." 🙂 They cleaned that up in the 1980s with the third man in rule. The third man in would be ejected from the game. The penalty for a fight is a five minute penalty, which they call a "five minute major." 7/6/24, 11:04 a.m.

[@shuvmesumknowlegde]

There is no other sport that has this much intensity for long periods of time. The energy and speed and agility is beyond any sport out there. Even basket ball.

[@nuthinnobody3357]

The nba has become laughable. The way it’s reffed now a days has destroyed it.

[@Jalapenioman8049]

Oh man! Hockey games are outrageously wild parties!

[@danielhaas9612]

There was one from College in the 80's between Wisconsin and North Dakota that went on over 15mins. Police and fans were involved, both benches cleared. It was crazy. There's an old joke about going to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out.

[@jessee8340]

The shoes on the ice.....had me rolling

[@goatitisful]

Fighting is very important to hockey... the referees dont really control what happens on the ice outside of penalties and stuff... if someone from the other team does something dirty, it is your team's responsibility to send a tough guy out there to make sure everybody knows that there will be consequences for dirty plays... and fighting is how that point is made.

[@gillesjacques1022]

The one where the player gets knocked out, was a game between the Quebec Nordiques and the Montréal Canadiens, which was one of the battles of Quebec. It was a big rivalry between the 2 teams, both playjng in the same province, even fans fought in these games as well.

[@beachbum1259]

It was called the Good Friday massacre as it happened around the Easter holiday. There were so many penalties, the Refs were still tabulating who was getting what / who was getting thrown out - that they hadn't finished by the time the players came out for the 2nd period. So another round of fights ensued. That game forced the league to put in new rules to contain fighting - i.e. can't jump over the boards anymore to join a fight; third man in etc..

[@davidc4428]

The Canadian flyers fight that you're watching at number 4 was actually a fight that occurred in pregame warm-ups. If you watch the footage there's no referees on the ice because this was before the game even started.

[@chadsoltys4127]

Fighting has been a part of hockey since the beginning, even in today's game fights occure. One of the reasons why hockey is the greatest sport EVER!

[@JoeCrow5542]

I met The Grim Reaper, Stu Grimson when he was in training camp to go to the Flames. You really couldn’t meet a nicer guy. Real tough guys, have nothing to prove.

[@JoeCrow5542]

But, get them out there on the ice….it’s time to work 😁

[@burnz0021]

Here's a few more to check out. -Bob Probert vs Marty Mcsorley 1994 -Bob Probert vs Craig Coxe round 1 and 2 -Forbes Kennedy brawl 1969

[@SindensGhost]

Jonathan v Bouchard

[@paranormalskeptic3893]

She hit it right on the head, new rules, there aren’t bench clearing brawls anymore, and honestly, fighting is so rare nowadays, if there’s ONE fight in the game, it’s a shock.

[@teachernphilly]

North American hockey has an unspoken rule that you “police” the game with fighting. If you play dirty, go after a star, etc. you can expect an “enforcer” to settle the score.

[@johnvermette9466]

What do you call "north American hockey" ? Hockey was born And codified in Canada! WE invented the sport and made the rules! Hockey is the Official winter sport of Canada! No other country has won more Olympic Gold medals in this sport than Canada! No country has won more World Hockey Championships than Canada! This is OUR sport!

[@pawel115]

05:14 "Broad Street Bullies" - Aka Philadelphia Flyers ,the 70's in NHL were known as "Savage Years" where they were lots of violence and fights in the NHL , the rules were changed in late 70's to curb violence and fighting.

[@beardown3920]

Teams usually have 1 guy on their team they call a goon whose main job is to fight and protect the best players from the other team. Makes you think twice before you check/hit the best players because the goon will come after you and beat your ass. Best fights are when 2 goons square off. They train to fight and some guys punch concrete every day to toughen their fists.

[@MikeSmith-vo2yt]

Junior hockey in Canada fighting used to be ho hum. Now it’s rare

[@growhuntkillcaneat]

Pussification in effect

[@caperbye474]

I played hockey growing up in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. When I was in Bantam Minor League(13 to 14 years old). The worst thing I ever saw involving a fight was a team mate of mine drop kicking a guy with his shakes on. He was instantly suspended from minor hockey forever. And if I recall correctly that meant all of Canada

[@Jefe692]

Great informative comments folks, I’ve played hockey sing a kid in Canada. Love this game

[@HeywoodJahblowme]

When your jersey has a "fight strap" in the back to prevent it from being pulled over your head.... it's the real deal😂❤😂

[@smiffyOG]

All jerseys have them now. It's the Rob Ray rule.

[@gregcushing1716]

If you don't have your Sweater tied down & get into a fight, you get kicked out of the gm ( Game Misconduct)

[@AaronJoseph-t4b]

The precedence was the "Sean Avery" rule because he would frequently lose his jersey during a fight therefore he would gain an advantage as his opponent wouldn't have leverage in his grip of Sean's arm slippery from sweat rather than fabric of a jersey,so the inner back strap that attaches the jersey to the shoulder pads was introduced & any player losing his jersey in a fight automatically get's ejected from the game; a 5 min. Major penalty to his team.Back until about '79 there used to be a 10:00 Major penalty for intent to injure(with or without injury) & no relief with penalized player is in the box when his team gets scored on,he must serve full time in the box)

[@smiffyOG]

@@AaronJoseph-t4b lol no. Google Brad May rule

[@nikwilliams3075]

The good ol' don't get kicked out of the game strap.

[@jerryao]

3:49 for the players that fight, they get a minor penalty and they sit in the penalty box for 2 minutes, thus the game will be a 4 on 4 for 2 minutes. After that, its back to even strength (5 on 5).

[@ronmurphy8863]

It's a major, for 5 mins. Minors are 2 mins !!!

[@jeffmejia3556]

If you watch earlier NHL mic’d up videos you’ll hear the players ask each other if they want to fight. They’ll ask Do you want to have one? Or Do you want to go? Normally this banter is called Chirping. So, you’ll hear the players ask and agree to fight just before dropping their gloves.

[@RusShpion]

I recommend a video from Ninh Ly's channel with a title of "THE CODE - The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retribution in Ice Hockey". It does a really good job of explaining why fighting is part of the game and that there is a system to it. It's not just total chaos though rarely total chaos does inevitably happen.

[@reedrothchild7966]

"We're going to have a donnybrook" 😂. It trips me out how bizarre the brawls seem to non Canadians or Non hockey fans. Someone else made the suggestion & I'll second it by recommending you watch a video explaining "the code" . As brutal as it may look the reality is it keeps players honest & punishes players who play like rats & are looking to hurt intentionally.

[@carlosrobinson4230]

In Canada we have a saying: "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out." If you haven't seen the Canadian shows "Letterkenny" or its spinoff "Shoresy", these give some insights.

[@juanito1975]

The irony of it all is that the guy getting punched at the start of the video named George Parros is the guy IN charge of player safety.

[@James-zw6wb]

The Montreal vs Boston brawl happened 60 years ago. Brawls are rare things. One on one battles happen more often but are still not common, you'd have to attend more than a few games to witness one.

[@donmacdonald9861]

I remember a conversation Gordie Howe had when talking about a fight with Bobby Hull ( I think it was Hull ). They had started fighting when Hull cried out in pain . Gordie said " What's wrong " Hull replied " I think I just popped my shoulder" Gordie said " Okay , we'll finish this later " I had the privilege of meeting Gordie Howe years ago . He was a true gentleman

[@LiamGardner-u9k]

Best fights Detroit vs Denver 1995-2002

[@ronmurphy8863]

#LGRW !!!

[@DerekParcher]

In Canada and the United States it's only known as hockey. And yes, fighting is part of the game but unfortunately, if you are in a fight, you have to go and sit in a box and feel bad for yourself for five minutes. We used to refer to it as the sin bin. Unfortunately, the NHL league is trying to moderate it more which leads to more sneaky, clutch and grabs style playing. In the past, nobody would clutch and grab because they often have somebody called them on it and end up in a fight. that's what happens when you let money and social media into the activities of a great sport.

[@beardown3920]

They call it dropping the gloves because they both take their gloves off and start swinging.

[@Cookie-K]

Sometimes the fights are the best part of the game! This was so fun! GO WINGS! #Detroit #Hockeytown

[@ronmurphy8863]

#LGRW !!!!

[@luclapointe5252]

the one with 14 fights was call La Bataille du Vendredi Saint or The Battle of The Good Friday. Its was the high point of the rivalry between Montreal and Quebec also call The Battle of Quebec!!!

[@answeris4217]

The Good Friday Massacre was in there that's the Canadien and Nordique fight that kept going into the start of the next period. There's the pregame fight in there between the Canadien and The flyers. That started because Two or three Canadien players shot on the opponents net. It's almost like a parody of a great hockey movie Slapshot.

[@rogerfurlong1535]

This is what we call real hockey in Canada

[@MWakefield82]

You guys should check out the documentary called "The Code." It will explain the entire story behind fighting in hockey.

[@phillipliestman8739]

Today’s hockey there’s heavy fines and suspension by the NHL players safety board but fights still do happen.

[@phillipliestman8739]

@@dallasburgess5329 Subjuest to additional fines or Suspension… Rule 16.17 A player who is deemed to be aggressor for the third time in one regular season shell be SUSPENDED for the next two regular season game of his team. For the fourth aggressor penalty in the same regular season the player will be SUSPENDED for the next four games of his team. For the fifth aggressor penalty in the same regular season the player will be SUSPENDED for the next six games of his team.

[@phillipliestman8739]

@@dallasburgess5329 OOOKKK 😮

[@ThePronchias]

I am 58 and Canadian. As a child at practices, we spent the end of the practice learning to box and fight.

[@stephanewinter6591]

You should watch the "Good Friday Massacre" or "Good Friday Brawl" between Québec Nordiques and Montréal Canadians. "La bataille du vendredi saint" in French. It took place in 1984 (or 82?) playoff game. There was a brawl at the end of the second period and it started again when players got on the ice for the beginning of the third period. It lasted probably around 30 minutes. Even if we enjoyed it at that time, it is now seen as the darkest event of the great Canadians-Nordiques rivalry.

[@killachinchilla9445]

This is why Hockey is the greatest sport on the planet! It has the raw brutality of American football and Boxing, the beauty of English Football, the advance hand/ eye coordination of Baseball and Basketball, the beyond extraordinary reflex/reaction time of Tennis and Basketball, and the amazing precision of Golf. On top of it all, there's REALLY no crying in Hockey, broken bones and gapping wounds don't stop the players from being ready for the next period.

[@framergod69]

it's the falling down and crying in soccer that really gets me grown men flopping to try and get a call is so disgusting

[@Curtis-y9r]

Hockey is awesome but it is not even close to football in brutality. No team sport is.

[@aceofspadeslandscapelesson8219]

Lol I love seeing a fresh perspective! Fighting is a penalty in hockey (5 minutes, sometimes can be game suspension depending on a few things). You're correct that the ref jumps in once a player hits the ice. If anyone liked watching this and is new to hockey.. Check out a documentary on KZbin called Broad Street Bullies. They were animals.

[@bebdaumon3948]

Fighting is part of hockey. Refs normally don't break it up until both players are tired or if they fall down on the ice. The fights could get you a 5 minute major penalty for fighting both players get in the penalty box. Or if it's severe you can get thrown out and get suspended for a couple of games.

[@damoncus8124]

Not a fight stat, but one of the best stats I've ever seen post game. Rangers versus the Flyers back in the 90s Post game stats: Jeff Beukeboom 47 knock downs 1 taken. Eric Lindros 1 knockdown 47 taken. lol. That means Jeff did nothing but terrorize only Lindross through the entire game. Averaging one knockdown per minute. Rarely, do you ever see a stat like that. I think this is the year after they won the cup.

[@AxelFoleyDetroitLions]

Stanley Cup Championship was last night. One of the best series of playoffs I’ve seen

[@OCRay1]

I will NEVER understand why people in the UK don’t watch hockey. It’s a great fit and infinitely better than pussy soccer. If soccer eliminates pathetic flopping, faking and weak calls it would be a whole lot more entertaining. Not as much as hockey but still.

[@bradkirchhoff5703]

Ppl go to games to see the fighting. They just get to watch a hockey game as well…When fights start the crowd goes nuts.

[@davidyeo8731]

Fighting in hockey was insane back in the day with Stan Johnathan Derek Sanderson and Terry O'Reilly were playing in Boston. I mean they went in the stands and fought fans.

[@chrisduhamel6858]

I played in the Montreal Canadians organization from 1957 til 1967 and fighting was always part of the game even for little kids. It's a game of physical intimidation. In the 40's and 50's they would sometimes fight with their sticks. This is partly the reason that Canadians were so feared in war. Hockey is the Canadian game

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

No, Canadians were feared in war because we were notorious during WWI for not taking prisoners.

[@framergod69]

@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 it's not a war crime the first time

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

@@framergod69 No quarter has been a war crime since 1899 and that's definitely not the first instance of no quarter being given. We believed the Germans had crucified a Canadian soldier earlier on, although there's no evidence of this occurring.

[@aaronsimmons6307]

We grow up playing hockey outside and even between friends it can get very heated and then there are injuries and then you laugh and go home...or the hospital! lol

[@blakeley38]

Fighting is part of hockey . The players have a code when it’s broken or the refs miss a dirty play you fight

[@dillowman8]

It’s part of the game, guys.

[@ChristinaBagg-q6w]

Canadians are born with skates on!!!!

[@chrismarsden8958]

These are American teams but 85% are Canadian boys!!! This years finals were Florida against Edmonton. 19 players on each team. Florida had 16 Canadian players and Edmonton had 15 players. Tough o'l Canadians!!! Fighting is a 5 minute penalty!!! An old Canadian saying is.. I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out!!!

[@bradleymorrison1045]

The fight at 10:51 of the video, that is marked as the Colorado Avalanche vs the Detroit Red Wings, was actually a fight between the Quebec (City) Nordiques and the Detroit Red Wings. The Nordiques were moved from Quebec City to Colorado in 1995 and became the Avalanche but this fight was before the move.

[@bodies2magenta]

Yes, the Nordiques are currently the Colorado Avalanche - however, explain *10:51* and the fact that it is still not accurate after this adjustment as the Detroit Red Wings *is still not the opposition" - Montreal is.

[@rodneysisco6364]

One comedian , I can't remember who , maybe Rodney Dangerfield , said " I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out "

[@bradjohnston8825]

So one of my favorite fighters of all time was Tie Domi, he was such a character. Wendel Clark also had a few doozies especially with Rob Ray. Thing is that many of the fighters are friends in the off season and something to remember is the guy that you got into the fight with in March might be a team member in September, as guys on the roster get traded. Usually its the gritty fighting types that get traded the most. Usually if you do something really heinous though you generally get punished by the league .. (Marty McSorly hitting Donald Brashier with his stick to the head)(Dale Hunter checking Pat Lafontaine from behind), Fighting I think is an intregral part of the game, and while it is shocking, its a tactic used to change the momentum of a game.

[@stephengartland2773]

Hockey is a game of justice. Everybody plays the game right until somebody doesn't. Most American sports go this way. It's why a pitcher throws a fastball at a batter's face because of something the 2nd baseman did last inning. It's why a Linebacker hits a Quartetback late. When players see an infraction and it's not called, we become vigilantes. No sport exhibits that more than hockey. Despite the NHL's best efforts, fighting is still part of the game. I miss the days of enforcers, but most people disagree with me on that. However, when something goes wrong, hockey players still drop the mitts and go to work for their team. That's why hockey is AWESOME!❤

[@ronmurphy8863]

You are awesome as well !!!

[@pacmon5285]

The movies "Goon" and "Goon: Last of the Enforcers" are some fictional movies based on a real player who used to fight a lot. I quite enjoyed them. You might give them a watch if this interested you.

[@GodsSoldierz]

Yes! I was going to say the same!

[@ldarr1986]

Another thing to point out as a hockey player. Once they hit the ground it’s over. Cause remember there blades on their feet. You can look up some very tragic things that can happen from the skate blades. Even during regular play.

[@ryanrivers1259]

Hockey is such fast pace that you almost enter warrior mentality, blackout, fight and then shake hands at the end of the game, then talk shit till the next game. If you want a good documentary, Ice Guardians is about fighting in hockey and its enforcers.

[@Corvid-w3b]

1:49 thats vanbeesbrook. The greatest goalie hockey ever saw. This was during a florida panther game.

[@Lakeshore14]

You really should watch Birth of a Rivalry, Colorado vs Detroit 1997. It really is amazing that the rivalry carried over from one year to the next.

[@simongilchrist3329]

There’s a long standing joke here in Canada about going to the fights and a hockey game broke out. It’s not officially part of the game but it sorta is somehow. When you have a finesse player on your team you need a couple brawlers to keep him safe. You can spend time in the penalty box, but to get suspended you’d really have to go above and beyond. Also, the ref won’t always try to stop a fight unless it’s completely one sided. Just too dangerous to get in there. Honestly, I think I’ve seen maybe 2 or 3 games that didn’t have a fight at all. There’s almost always a scuffle out there.

[@TheAcgtrs]

Two very strict major rules are heavily enforced, since the 70s and 80s… No more bench clearing brawls. You cannot leave the bench to add to a fight between players on ice… “3rd man in”, you can’t double team, or jump into an already existing fight…

[@jrik83]

They allow way less than they used to, but typically, if two guys square up they let them fight until one guy goes down. It's a five minute penalty for fighting, and if someone was deemed the instigator they get two minutes for instigating. Team's used to keep a fourth line player just to fight when necessary that was colloquially referred to as an enforcer or a goon. With that being said, I highly suggest watching the movie "goon" it's probably my favorite sports movie that doesn't start with the word Rocky.

[@hockeynightinbelmont9176]

70's-80's bench clearing brawls are the best to watch. WHA fights are good too Steve Durbano vs Kenny Morrison.

[@blakecouch4621]

if you instigate the fight you get 2 minutes and 5 minute penalty, which means there will have to be someone else in the box to serve the 2 minute penalty for the player resulting in being short handed (5v4) but if its just a clean fight where both participants verbally agreed its just 5 minutes for each player. Both players will be in the penalty box for 5 minutes and a whistle due to the game being 5v5

[@nancyj795]

Philadelphia Flyers have long been known as "The Broad Street Bullies".

[@ettibbet5493]

Made the Russians piss thier pants and run

[@phatphat7089]

That was in the 70s fun time to watch !

[@gazoontight]

Hockey used to be called "war on ice" - it was a lot more violent years ago, but the rules were hanged after a layer lost an eye.

[@christopherryan6111]

They both get a 5 min major in the box when the fight is done. And it does end when a player hits the ice.

[@valovaliumfears7922]

Canada hockey, we grow up fighting. i fought in junior high-school and loved it

[@MrDiveDave]

Sometimes when in Canada you can go to fight night and sometimes a hockey game will break out....

[@MrMcGiblets1]

Fighting is part of the game. There's a code in hockey, you break the code and you may have to answer for it. The referees rarely break up the fights, the linesmen (no orange band) do that, but they usually wait until they're tied up or go to the ice to avoid getting hit themselves.

[@michaelhamm6805]

I am 61. I played hockey for 30 years. I was an average player and an above average fighter. My role was to goad the opposing teams best players into a fight so we would take coincidental penalties. My presence on the ice was not missed whatsoever...but the guy in the box next to me was sorely missed by his team....