we almost had a goalie fight in the nhl yesterday, but the ref separated them for some odd reason us fans don’t understand. broadcasters said it was bad for the game, but i think any hockey fan can agree that goalie fights are some of the most entertaining moments in hockey
That game was hectic, but my thoughts on the bad for the game meant specifically for the teams as then both teams would have lost their starting goalies and neither team would get the powerplay
HONESTLY everyone was grilling that announcer for saying it was "bad for the game". It all started because of a sucker punch to Kopley, which started a helluva scrum at the crease and then the opposing goaltender came to center ice, rapped his stick at the line like he was ringing a dinner bell. Kopley's reaction, just popping up from the stack of humanity like a cartoon character was honestly HILARIOUS, too. I'm sad the refs stopped those two from fighting. Kopley's suspension was unfortunate but fair cause he was whacking people with that blocker before one of the refs ripped it off.
Being Canadian, I feel pride when someone actually takes the time to understand “The Code”. Once you understand Canada/hockey, you will come to realize why people know that Canada always punches above their weight.
Sometimes you gotta punch a FRIEND before you can comfortably hang out with them later on. Someone punching outside of The Code needs to be shut down immediately or else it ruins it for all of us and we can no longer punch out friends anymore 😅❤
I’d love to see him react to “How one violent hit snowballed into years of championship-grade hockey beef | Red Wings vs Avalanche”… so see how all this can plays out 😂
Some of this is a little outdated now - removing your helmet before a fight is an extra minor penalty in addition to the major for the fight itself, so that doesn't happen anymore. And a couple of the other things mentioned (no sucker-punches, stop once someone goes down) are actually written rules, in that there is an explicitly larger penalty for doing so (a game misconduct - ejection - in addition to the major, and in the case of a sucker-punch you can expect a long suspension from the league office as well). But for the most part, it's still accurate. Goalie fights are quite rare; they're usually when a game has gotten completely out of hand and there's a full-on line brawl taking place, and even then they will usually stay out of it. But occasionally if there's enough bad blood between the teams, the goalies will decide they're feeling left out and have at it (usually late in the game, as goalies fighting almost always get a game misconduct in addition to the major).
Yeah, it's hard to have a video that will always be up to date but it's a good backbone because most of the videos that have fights (in compilations) aren't from the last couple seasons.
"The Code" is endlessly fascinating. One thing that the video doesn't address is how a fight (or lack of a fight) can affect a game. For example, say your team is down 2 or 3 goals in an important match. A good fight, particularly where the losing (on the scoreboard) team's player does well, can turn the game's tide. Or, in the opposite scenario, a star player gets abused, and nobody responds; it signals that there are big problems with that team and that they are unwilling to stand up for each other. If a star player gets hit with a dirty hit, often the players on the ice settle it right then and do not wait for the enforcer to do the fighting. This can only be seen as a good thing for that star player's team. There was a great example of that in a game I watched recently. The star got hit with a borderline dirty hit, and a large but relatively skilled player (certainly no goon) took it upon himself to fight the guy who hit the star. That's golden for that team. It's also good for the game in general because the stars are ultimately what put fans in the seats. If the stars get injured and can't play, everybody loses.
Do you have any evidence that these effects are real, and not just cherry-picked examples of confirmation bias? What research is there to demonstrate this effect is actually real, rather than just imagined? You remember the times that you think you saw it make a difference, and forget all the times that it didn't.
@@puckerings hahaha. I know what confirmation bias is; I'm all about science, data, and evidence. And no, I don't know of any scholars who study the effects of fights on the momentum of games, so no there is no empirical data, but I'm pretty sure you knew that when you asked the question. So without data, we don't know whether any of this has an effect, but we don't know that it doesn't.
This is so True As hockey fan my entire life watching QMJHL and AHL hockey locally, One of my greatest memories is seeing our home arena boo after our star was carried off in stretch and none of the team faught. we booed our own players the entire 3rd period. seeing your own fans boo you for not standing up for your own home, your own jersey, your own star and your own players it was disgrace. most of those players were gone the next year.
The enforcer whose only real job is to enforce is extinct now. There are still tough guys that can step up, but everyone has to be able to play hockey now. That was a natural evolution of roster makeup recently.
I don't think it's extinct. In fact. Enforcers are needed more now than ever. With the European style of play that has taken over the league. Cheap shots and stick work. It's turning into soccer. I'd rather a fight over a dive..
I am a 1st line Blueliner on my team, one of my team's higher point scorers and I am also one of my team's leading players in Fighting Majors... I can play hockey, but I can also take on the role of the enforcer when required.
We are taught at a young age these rules without ever being told it's a code. It's just the way the game is played here. We are also taught at a young age to play through pain. That is why you pros getting KO'd losing getting stitches and the jumping right back in. I think this is the reason soccer hasn't taken off in Canada. The whole flopping about over nothing isnt how we are taught to play sports. We are taught to play through pain not flop about and over react.
"If you can't beat 'em in the alley, you can't beat 'em on the ice" This was very true from the sixties/seventies, and the movie Slapshot (starring Paul Newman) exemplified the minor leagues of that time. You can read up on his respect for the minor league players he worked with during this film and the way he enjoyed the genuine decency of the players. A first reaction to this film (which is a cult film for all professional hockey players), would be enjoyable. Lots of laughs and some insites to the players who luved the game and lived the dream of professional hockey in the NHL!!
When the narrator says "it's a way for the players to police the game themselves" that's the best descriptive term of why fighting is allowed. Even during the fight, when it's over, it's over. No one ever gets excessive and starts beating someone after they go down. I love soccer too, but in hockey, players who dive or take a cheap shot are extremely shamed by the community. Even the greatest skill players would be too ashamed and embarrassed of themselves to dive like Neymar or Robben. And when they do, there's a fight and the other person on your team who has to fight in your place will be like "no more of that shit"
Goalie fights are pretty rare. They usually only happen when there's a long-term beef between the teams. (See the Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche, 1997-now. There's a pretty good goalie fight between Patrick Roy and Chris Osgood.)
The mid to late 90s was fakking great. Im a life long Redwings fan (Cuz Im Swedish so, duh) and I love Chris. But Roy was always one of my favorite golies. In my top5 for sure. Im also a massive fan of Forsberg and Selänne ofc and I have a big respect for Sakic so those Avalancne/Redwings battles was the god damn tine of my life
Love that you reacted to this, and I feel like you actually really get it! I personally think fighting / the code is VERY important in hockey and the sport would be MUCH more dangerous without it. Plus it’s entertaining as hell, being in the crowd when there’s a fight is amazing!! I’m sure you’ve heard the saying by now, “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out” 😂😂 And you’re totally correct this should be Scotland’s national sport! 🙌🏻🍻
Dude I really enjoy listening to you get excited over hockey! I played goalie growing up. Never once had to fight. Enjoyed watching retaliation for getting jammed into the mesh. Lol
When it comes to fighting in hockey, keeping a mind open enough to accept this horseshit means letting your brain fall out. "The code" is ad hoc bullshit, made up on the spot at times, selectively applied, and makes no sense to boot.
I remember a game between the Penguins and the Islanders in 2011. There was some really bad blood between them thanks to some questionable hits in their previous meeting. It all boiled over in spectacular fashion. 65 penalties for a grand total of 346 penalty minutes. 15 "five for fighting" major penalties. 21 game misconducts (red cards). Each team starts with 20 players. By the end of the game the Penguins had 7 players and the Islanders had 9. Great example of what happens when the code is not obeyed.
A couple of things. At 5:07, todd bertuzzi suckerpunched steve moore, knocking Moore out and then falling to the ice on top of him, breaking some neck bones and ending Moore's career. Second, goalies usually get involved at the mayhem stage, where every player on the ice is already fighting or paired up to possibly fo so. For a segment on goalie fights, look up Patrick Roy vs Mike Vernon.
As a Canadian, it’s obvious that I’m a huge hockey fan. The quality of the sport in a skill and finesse required is unparalleled. The code is the best way to keep the game and players in check. A few minutes in the same bin is nothing compared to getting punched out or having your head run into the boards for being a cheap shot artist. Trying to intentionally injure someone should have immediate retribution from the opposing team without question. Glad you were making these videos and becoming more conscious of the sport of professional hockey . Feel free to stop calling at ice hockey as people in North America. Just refer to it as hockey. #FunFact
"The code is the best way to keep the game and players in check." Absolute horseshit. Research has demonstrated that the players most likely to engage in dangerous penalties (head shots, slashes, hits from behind, etc) WERE THE ENFORCERS. So you needed a player like Bob Probert to protect your team from players like Bob Probert. The idea that enforcers kept dirty play is check is received wisdom at best, and a complete fantasy at worst. The enforcers were, in fact, the dirtiest players on the ice.
Goalie fights are fairly rare however when they do happen everything else on the ice tends to stop to watch it. I definitely recommend watching a video on them.
In 1967 I started watching hockey. We had a team in the IHL (International Hockey League). I saw bench clearing brawls erupt because a player was high stacked, or boarded, and no penalty was called. You could be sure back then it would result in a big fight for sure. Fighting keeps players honest .
These rules apply in all levels of hockey after hitting is introduced, with the exception that fist fighting is a 1 game suspension instead of a 5 minute penalty in junior hockey so the other team will just remember who you are and do their absolute best to hurt you with a clean hit for the rest of the game. The kind of exception is if you hit the other teams goalie. That will get you hit from behind, cross checked, dog piled on, and often punched once you’re playing at a competitive level. Ref’s don’t usually call penalties on players who are protecting their goalies since its much easier for a goalie to get hurt from a hit than the rest of the players; their helmets focus almost exclusively on protection from the front so if they get knocked over backwards they often get concussions.
I think this is the perfect example of the code, Wheeler vs Malkin. In the previous game Malkin hit Wheeler with a “bad hit” (ie to the head). He accepts Wheeler’s challenge, and although Malkin does not throw a punch in return, he also does not turtle. ua-cam.com/video/5nY0elo4cn8/v-deo.html After the game, Malkin admitted he accepted the fight out of the tremendous respect he had for Wheeler: ua-cam.com/video/ZXqTEvU-vOw/v-deo.html
I'm 60 years old and I've been playing hockey for more that 50 years. The CODE was always part of the game and passed from father to son. I never backed down from a fight even when the other guy was bigger. Took some beatings but always had the respect of my teammates. That's what its all about. BEST GAME ON THE PLANET !!!
I love this so much. I’ve been watching your videos for a bit now. In Canadian. And Scottish by descent. In a campbell. Hate me or no. That’s my family history. I also love all your videos. Watching you react to how savage we are is a nice little joke for us. Yeah. Don’t mess with Canadians.
Hockey needs a release valve for players and internal policing. You are on something almost as hard as concrete, carrying something that can be used as a weapon, playing a full contact sport at crazy high speeds. You are surrounded by the boards - there's no place to escape. It's a pressure cooker waiting to blow up if there aren't policing mechanisms. Hockey has moved much more towards a skill game over the last decade where even enforcers/tough guys need to have a higher minimum skill level and contribute to stay in the game. Not sure if this trend will continue or if it moves in cycles, but time will tell. If you want to see probably the craziest era of hockey fighting look up some brawls from the Broad Street Bully philadelphia flyers era. Wild times.
Theses are essentially playground rules. Kids these days aren’t being taught the rules. Dudes become lifelong friends under unspoken rules. Builds character.
Growing up in Canada these were school yard rules. If you fight at school sure you get detention, but if you break the code then you get counseling. Then you get a little older and bar fights are the same.
9:50 Funny you should say that. Hockey was technically invented in Scottland. I believe it started as a sort of golf on ice and then developed into a team vs team version which then became Ice Hockey.
There are two movies "Goon" and "Goon : Last Of The Enforces", classic Hockey Movie "Slap Shot" (1977) with Paul Newman Old hockey fight videos under "Don Cherry's Rock'em Sock'em Hockey", Don Cherry was former coach of NHL Boston Bruins team and former co/host of Coach's Corner usually shown between the first and second period of Saturday Hockey Night in Canada games. Also a Canadian TV show called "Letterkenny" introduces a character called "Shorsey" which now has his own character/TV based show on fictional Hockey League in Northern Ontario, there is a Season 2 currently ordered / in production.
Check out “Ice Guardians”, a lot of great interviews with current and former enforcers. Some of the toughest guys to ever play the game including the guys tasked with protecting Wayne Gretzky, Dave Semenko especially.
Interestingly, there are very few pure enforcers in the game today like there was in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Everyone needs to be able to play with skill. That said, there are quite a few modern players who are in the old "Gordy Howe" mold of being great fighters and great scorers.
I saw a great example of #6 closely followed by #2. DH's alma mater (high school) game. Our team had a very small player-not powerful but quick and a good, clean player, nicknamed Mouse. One of the bigger guys on the other team decides targeting Mouse is a good idea. He laid Mouse out, Mouse did not have possession at the time. Refs didn't see it. The other team's coach kept him in. Shortly after, three of our guys put him into the boards. Refs *somehow* didn't see that, either. Kid went to his coach having a fit. Coach's body language was basically 'you asked for it'.
One of the many great things about hockey ... Most other sports if you get in a fight you get ejected from the game, ice hockey, ya go sit for 5 minutes or so, think about what you did, then go back out on the ice.
As a proud Canadian I am not ashamed to admit I LOVE hockey fights. But to be honest when they go to long then I start getting nervous for the players To answer your question about goalie fights: no. I think I’ve only seen a handful throughout the almost 20 years I’ve been watching
You should NOT love hockey fights. Hockey fights result in concussions. SO MANY ex-enforcers have brain trauma that led to drug addiction and suicides, and other early deaths. Loving something that causes so much harm to the people that do it is shameful.
About the dis on Crosby in the video you're commenting on...just to be fair...this video shows how he was targeted as a rookie when he came into the league, because no one on his team enforced 'the code'. So he had to learn to do it himself. In the highlights shown here, you'll see some insane hits, but also see how despite having lost two teeth from the abuse he remained in the game and scored the winning goal. Crosby knew the code and re-wrote it, for the better. ua-cam.com/video/YpGuriWhMzA/v-deo.html
Retaliation prevents players from throwing elbows or using the hockey stick as a weapon, which is unfair. If you take a big hit because you had your head down, your team will still jump in to your defense, but that's really on you.
Hockey is the perfect sport. Its unbelievably hard, but fair. Its pacey, but also incredibly tactical. Its a bit violent, but the players generally are honorable good people. I'm so glad I discovered this sport a few years ago.
Final game off the season, 4-4 tie, 2:12 minutes to go in game. Winner takes 1st place into play-offs. Fights break out all over the ice, lights turned off. Game called. Officials didn't even want the game to start due to bad blood. God I loved playing hockey. (67 yrs. Old)
Hockey players are by far the toughest athletes I'm aware of. The sport itself is incredibly demanding and violent - potential for injury on par with rugby and American football. (Hardcore hockey people believe it's more dangerous than football... Debatable, but not really my point). What makes hockey players so tough is a combination of the hardship of the sport and the number of games played. A full hockey season can potentially last up to nearly 110 games. It is furthermore a ruthless combination of aerobic and anaerobic effort. For the uninitiated, hockey allows unlimited substitutions, which occur on the fly. With a game divided into 3 twenty minute periods, it is common even for stars to play less than half the game. Even so, twenty five minutes of game play spread over two hours of real time (including intermissions between periods and game stoppages) is exhausting. Hockey players are absolute gladiators.
You know it’s funny I read your comment and it never occurred to me how tough I thought you was because it’s the only sport I ever played and I played in the metropolitan league here in New York and Wood up to Toronto and play some junior and I bounced around but 160 games and Junior and head up or do you want scholarship here in the college in America and it never occurred to me how really tough the game what is till I sat down one night with my wife and went over how many injuries I had and the whole thing with the teeth and I got a tell you if I had any idea How much damage would be done to me I might have serious reservations about continuing after college you just don’t think about it because it’s a culture you get into and you don’t play any other sport after the age of say 17 or 18 because you have to focus 100% and you have to rest when you rest
eI'd HIGHLY recommend Secret Base's video on the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry from the late 90s and early 2000s. It was one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports and a perfect example of upholding The Code. I think you would really enjoy it
I recently watched a hockey game on tv where one member of the opposing team was in a outrage against one player and instead of joining the fight the remaining players surrounded the player he was trying to fight with so officials could remove the aggravated player …once he was off the ice they all shook hands 👏🇨🇦🫶🏻
You've pbably noticed that they always hang onto eachother while they are throwing fists. This is so they don't fall down as the fight ends once someone is down
The main difference with soccer is that, in hockey, the rink is much smaller, and the players are skating 30+ mph one near the others. On the other hand, in soccer, 20 players run around a bigger pitch for much longer and bigger distances. There is some physicality in the latter, but that'd mean being one man down for the whole game or without a change.
The problem with if they handled soccer disputes like they do in hockey, in soccer, you are limited to what is it, two substitutions, and they play all the time. In hockey, if a fight happens, they just go to the penalty box for 5 minutes and then back to play. Plus, they can switch out players however often they want, as long as there isn't never more than 5 skaters and a goalie on the ice at once. (or on occasion 6 with no goalie if a team is down by 1 or 2 late in a game, they will have a 6th skater, to create an advantage in getting a possible goal to tie. Just have to make sure the puck stays down on your end and not get down on the other end and have the puck going in your own goal.)
To answer your question on goalie fights. No they are not common. They only really happen when everyone else on the ice is already fighting. Or the other Goalie is already fighting. Goalie fight etiquette is that if you wanna fight the other team's goalie as the Goalie. You head to center ice and wait to see if they accept. Or if the other goalie is already fighting. You may skate all the way down the ice to initiate.
There are some fine points or nuances about the sport of hockey that almost necessitate the existence and the rationalization of "enforcement" - which gets mischaracterized as those players called "goons". There are some parallels in other sports. Hockey has some aspects that are unique within the entire scope of the sport, that generate the justification of a "code". First of all, the sport is played on ice - anything that happens in hockey first revolves around the exceptionally high skill level of skating first. Secondly, while there are multiple lines of players - the goalie is static. Thirdly, the game is within a physical boundary of the rink and boards. Fourth, sticks are used for the puck but can be manipulated as a potential means of personal interference / "weapon". Fifth, the measurement of offside (as deemed unto the ball or puck) is entirely different in judgement in hockey as compared to all of rugger, soccer or American football. ALL of these elements - create a set of playing circumstances that enable a lot of room in hockey to abuse an opposing player. If the goalie or a major finesse player are shut down or removed by a penalty or a misconduct (especially in the playoffs) it can change a team's season, never mind one game. Soccer, rugby, football, basketball - all have distinct levels of contact - but none of these can break down as egregiously as hockey. There are vast role differences in hockey. A major finesse oriented, smaller individual on skates can have a massively different role tnan a towering defenceman and may have a drastically different skill set all within the context of what can be done on skates. Stick handling, shooting, positioning players in relationship to the boards and fighting all occur on skates. Protecting the goalie, protecting extremely impactful scorers and the heightened physical element introduced by sharp blades, hard boards, slipping (balance), equipment; make enforcement justifiable by morals and human ethics that transcend the simple aspect that are within a game. It is a very tough game that has a governing aspect of getting the crap pounded out of you that, if removed from the game, will spiral the game into a far more abusable format and be dominated by mediocrity. Some of the best teams have relationships that form between enforcers and goal scorers. Odjick and Buré, Gretzky and Semenko, are two of them. If a player went after Buré or Gretzky - they would get their lights punched out. Other sports also have critical physicalities and a game within a game such as the critical performance of the front row in the scrum in rugby or the protection of a quarterback in football. Next time you watch a hockey fight - remember that it is happening on ice on metal blades first with total disregard for knuckles smashing bone and protective padding. And if you want to watch some old school competiton? Canada vs USSR - 1972 footage with Phil Esposito shouting across the ice from bench to bench - looking for a fight. Madness.
I can tell you as a former goalie (not NHL level) your teammates will go to war if you get hit and if you get hit you will remember that person to the end of time and blocker punch kidneys, slash, whatever you can do when they are in the crease and the ref isn't looking and it's completely acceptable. The other player understands why you are doing it, they would never tell a teammate or complain. 99% of the time hockey is self regulating (aside from stuff like offside or technical stuff the refs have to monitor) It's fast, it's sometimes violent, the amount of skill involved is mad. It's really a great sport.
I played competitively probably for almost 19 maybe 20 years and I always wondered why are we so upset with the goalie get it he’s got most of the equipment on and it was meant to be funny at the same time you’re right when Goalie gets touched the switch goes off, especially if you’re a defenseman the switch goes off in your head and now you know they’ve started something and if we can’t get satisfaction, guess which goal is gonna get run in a couple of shifts
@@ronemtae3468 Because the goalie is only responsible for stopping a puck / redirecting a puck. They have a crease around them where no contact can happen and there is an unwritten rule if they are outside of the crease you don't go after them because unless there is an empty net situation there is no way they can score.
@@ronemtae3468 Goalies are in very vulnerable positions and easy targets. If it was open season on goalies, injuries would be massive and severe. Also, you only have 2 of them.
Another very important rule, that is unwritten, but very well known: -What happens on the Ice, stays on the Ice. Meaning if something happens during a game, you deal with it within the game. Don't take any of the negativity/competitiveness outside of it.
3:15 You just summed up in a few seconds what this video needed 10+ minutes to do. Granted, they go into a lot of the unwritren conduct. Similar to the old school "Gentleman's dual." Refs, in any sport, are always going to be somewhat limited to administer real consequences (outside of a full ejection). Ice hockey is played at such a fast tempo (hence why you often only play for a minute or so at a time before going to the bench), and guys get running around, and the nastiness and cheap shots become inevitable. The Enforcer is there for when things really get stupid, and the Refs can't squash it for an entire bench of guys (there's only so many guys you can jam into a penalty box, or warrant an ejection for), and this is why some players take it into their own hands. To, in hopes, intimidate other players from taking too many liberties, and seriously hurt somebody in an illegal way.
Also it use to happen but it’s a huge penalty if guys on the bench come out to fight, so if your on the ice be prepared there’s no one coming to help you.
You keep saying that Hockey should be "Scotlands national sport", well surprisingly hockey did originate from Scotland from the late 1800 century. So thanks Scotland from Canada, our national sport. :)
The enforcer exists in all levels of hockey in Canada. Though the sport is trying to get rid of it. It's part of the game. My job as a defensive player was to always protect the goalie. Many fights in front the net after the whistle.
Modern hockey fighting is definitely the closest thing I can think of to a gentleman’s duel (you know, the type with swords or pistols) in the modern day.
Defenceman are my favorite players. They don't get appreciated as much as the other positions (goalie maybe). Tall to small, Zdeno Chara 6'9, Torrey Krug 5'9. & the goats like 🐐 Bobby orr 🐐, lidstrom, Robinson
we almost had a goalie fight in the nhl yesterday, but the ref separated them for some odd reason us fans don’t understand. broadcasters said it was bad for the game, but i think any hockey fan can agree that goalie fights are some of the most entertaining moments in hockey
That game was hectic, but my thoughts on the bad for the game meant specifically for the teams as then both teams would have lost their starting goalies and neither team would get the powerplay
HONESTLY everyone was grilling that announcer for saying it was "bad for the game". It all started because of a sucker punch to Kopley, which started a helluva scrum at the crease and then the opposing goaltender came to center ice, rapped his stick at the line like he was ringing a dinner bell. Kopley's reaction, just popping up from the stack of humanity like a cartoon character was honestly HILARIOUS, too. I'm sad the refs stopped those two from fighting. Kopley's suspension was unfortunate but fair cause he was whacking people with that blocker before one of the refs ripped it off.
Being Canadian, I feel pride when someone actually takes the time to understand “The Code”. Once you understand Canada/hockey, you will come to realize why people know that Canada always punches above their weight.
Canada follows the same code.. whether in Hockey, War, or Comedy.
Punch up, not down.
Sometimes you gotta punch a FRIEND before you can comfortably hang out with them later on.
Someone punching outside of The Code needs to be shut down immediately or else it ruins it for all of us and we can no longer punch out friends anymore 😅❤
I’d love to see him react to “How one violent hit snowballed into years of championship-grade hockey beef | Red Wings vs Avalanche”… so see how all this can plays out 😂
good idea!! I certainly agree ! The best American rivalry in hockey by far! ( mostly Canadian players) Still, hopefully he will react to it :)
That video is amazing if he hasn’t done a video on it yet he should (binge watching)
I'm a Wings fan and I still say "f*ck Colorado"
Those playoff games were the best in the early 2000s
I'm Canadian and i certainly respect you alot for doing those videos about our National Sport ! Thank you
*Most popular
Yeah our national sport is technically lacrosse for some dumb reason
@@jayfedder1578 It was first played by the natives back in like the 17th century that's why
Some of this is a little outdated now - removing your helmet before a fight is an extra minor penalty in addition to the major for the fight itself, so that doesn't happen anymore. And a couple of the other things mentioned (no sucker-punches, stop once someone goes down) are actually written rules, in that there is an explicitly larger penalty for doing so (a game misconduct - ejection - in addition to the major, and in the case of a sucker-punch you can expect a long suspension from the league office as well). But for the most part, it's still accurate.
Goalie fights are quite rare; they're usually when a game has gotten completely out of hand and there's a full-on line brawl taking place, and even then they will usually stay out of it. But occasionally if there's enough bad blood between the teams, the goalies will decide they're feeling left out and have at it (usually late in the game, as goalies fighting almost always get a game misconduct in addition to the major).
Yeah, it's hard to have a video that will always be up to date but it's a good backbone because most of the videos that have fights (in compilations) aren't from the last couple seasons.
"The Code" is endlessly fascinating. One thing that the video doesn't address is how a fight (or lack of a fight) can affect a game. For example, say your team is down 2 or 3 goals in an important match. A good fight, particularly where the losing (on the scoreboard) team's player does well, can turn the game's tide. Or, in the opposite scenario, a star player gets abused, and nobody responds; it signals that there are big problems with that team and that they are unwilling to stand up for each other.
If a star player gets hit with a dirty hit, often the players on the ice settle it right then and do not wait for the enforcer to do the fighting. This can only be seen as a good thing for that star player's team. There was a great example of that in a game I watched recently. The star got hit with a borderline dirty hit, and a large but relatively skilled player (certainly no goon) took it upon himself to fight the guy who hit the star. That's golden for that team. It's also good for the game in general because the stars are ultimately what put fans in the seats. If the stars get injured and can't play, everybody loses.
Do you have any evidence that these effects are real, and not just cherry-picked examples of confirmation bias? What research is there to demonstrate this effect is actually real, rather than just imagined? You remember the times that you think you saw it make a difference, and forget all the times that it didn't.
@@puckerings hahaha. I know what confirmation bias is; I'm all about science, data, and evidence. And no, I don't know of any scholars who study the effects of fights on the momentum of games, so no there is no empirical data, but I'm pretty sure you knew that when you asked the question. So without data, we don't know whether any of this has an effect, but we don't know that it doesn't.
This is so True As hockey fan my entire life watching QMJHL and AHL hockey locally, One of my greatest memories is seeing our home arena boo after our star was carried off in stretch and none of the team faught. we booed our own players the entire 3rd period.
seeing your own fans boo you for not standing up for your own home, your own jersey, your own star and your own players it was disgrace. most of those players were gone the next year.
The enforcer whose only real job is to enforce is extinct now. There are still tough guys that can step up, but everyone has to be able to play hockey now. That was a natural evolution of roster makeup recently.
I don't think it's extinct. In fact. Enforcers are needed more now than ever. With the European style of play that has taken over the league. Cheap shots and stick work. It's turning into soccer. I'd rather a fight over a dive..
I am a 1st line Blueliner on my team, one of my team's higher point scorers and I am also one of my team's leading players in Fighting Majors... I can play hockey, but I can also take on the role of the enforcer when required.
Grew u playing hockey late 70's and 80's ..... taught you honor and sticking up for your buddy !!!!
We are taught at a young age these rules without ever being told it's a code. It's just the way the game is played here. We are also taught at a young age to play through pain. That is why you pros getting KO'd losing getting stitches and the jumping right back in.
I think this is the reason soccer hasn't taken off in Canada. The whole flopping about over nothing isnt how we are taught to play sports. We are taught to play through pain not flop about and over react.
"If you can't beat 'em in the alley, you can't beat 'em on the ice" This was very true from the sixties/seventies, and the movie Slapshot (starring Paul Newman) exemplified the minor leagues of that time. You can read up on his respect for the minor league players he worked with during this film and the way he enjoyed the genuine decency of the players. A first reaction to this film (which is a cult film for all professional hockey players), would be enjoyable. Lots of laughs and some insites to the players who luved the game and lived the dream of professional hockey in the NHL!!
When the narrator says "it's a way for the players to police the game themselves" that's the best descriptive term of why fighting is allowed. Even during the fight, when it's over, it's over. No one ever gets excessive and starts beating someone after they go down. I love soccer too, but in hockey, players who dive or take a cheap shot are extremely shamed by the community. Even the greatest skill players would be too ashamed and embarrassed of themselves to dive like Neymar or Robben. And when they do, there's a fight and the other person on your team who has to fight in your place will be like "no more of that shit"
Rules that every elementary school kid on the Canadian prairies used to know by heart.
Goalie fights are pretty rare. They usually only happen when there's a long-term beef between the teams. (See the Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche, 1997-now. There's a pretty good goalie fight between Patrick Roy and Chris Osgood.)
Ray Emery v Martin Biron 2007 is my go-to on goalie fights. Mainly because the smile on Emery's face: he was looking forward to it.
The mid to late 90s was fakking great.
Im a life long Redwings fan (Cuz Im Swedish so, duh) and I love Chris.
But Roy was always one of my favorite golies.
In my top5 for sure.
Im also a massive fan of Forsberg and Selänne ofc and I have a big respect for Sakic so those Avalancne/Redwings battles was the god damn tine of my life
Love that you reacted to this, and I feel like you actually really get it! I personally think fighting / the code is VERY important in hockey and the sport would be MUCH more dangerous without it. Plus it’s entertaining as hell, being in the crowd when there’s a fight is amazing!! I’m sure you’ve heard the saying by now, “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out” 😂😂 And you’re totally correct this should be Scotland’s national sport! 🙌🏻🍻
So glad that you got to this one. It makes the fights on the ice make more sense. Protect your team!
Protect your team from the other team's "enforcer". Makes total sense.
Dude I really enjoy listening to you get excited over hockey! I played goalie growing up. Never once had to fight. Enjoyed watching retaliation for getting jammed into the mesh. Lol
It's so cool you are getting so into this! I love how open minded you are.
When it comes to fighting in hockey, keeping a mind open enough to accept this horseshit means letting your brain fall out. "The code" is ad hoc bullshit, made up on the spot at times, selectively applied, and makes no sense to boot.
I remember a game between the Penguins and the Islanders in 2011. There was some really bad blood between them thanks to some questionable hits in their previous meeting. It all boiled over in spectacular fashion. 65 penalties for a grand total of 346 penalty minutes. 15 "five for fighting" major penalties. 21 game misconducts (red cards). Each team starts with 20 players. By the end of the game the Penguins had 7 players and the Islanders had 9. Great example of what happens when the code is not obeyed.
A couple of things. At 5:07, todd bertuzzi suckerpunched steve moore, knocking Moore out and then falling to the ice on top of him, breaking some neck bones and ending Moore's career. Second, goalies usually get involved at the mayhem stage, where every player on the ice is already fighting or paired up to possibly fo so.
For a segment on goalie fights, look up Patrick Roy vs Mike Vernon.
Funny that as a 40ish Canadian, that as watched hockey all my life, I understand the unwritten rule more than the faceoff rules
You don't have to play hockey to know the code and live by it. You will find people living by the code in most bars in Canada any given night
Yeah, there's definitely a rule of standing up for your friends if they need it.
As a Canadian, it’s obvious that I’m a huge hockey fan. The quality of the sport in a skill and finesse required is unparalleled.
The code is the best way to keep the game and players in check. A few minutes in the same bin is nothing compared to getting punched out or having your head run into the boards for being a cheap shot artist. Trying to intentionally injure someone should have immediate retribution from the opposing team without question.
Glad you were making these videos and becoming more conscious of the sport of professional hockey . Feel free to stop calling at ice hockey as people in North America. Just refer to it as hockey. #FunFact
Lmao so Canadian of you to gently ask to drop the "ice". I thought about it but decided to wait to see how long it would go.
"The code is the best way to keep the game and players in check."
Absolute horseshit. Research has demonstrated that the players most likely to engage in dangerous penalties (head shots, slashes, hits from behind, etc) WERE THE ENFORCERS. So you needed a player like Bob Probert to protect your team from players like Bob Probert.
The idea that enforcers kept dirty play is check is received wisdom at best, and a complete fantasy at worst. The enforcers were, in fact, the dirtiest players on the ice.
Goalie fights are fairly rare however when they do happen everything else on the ice tends to stop to watch it. I definitely recommend watching a video on them.
In 1967 I started watching hockey. We had a team in the IHL (International Hockey League). I saw bench clearing brawls erupt because a player was high stacked, or boarded, and no penalty was called. You could be sure back then it would result in a big fight for sure. Fighting keeps players honest .
These rules apply in all levels of hockey after hitting is introduced, with the exception that fist fighting is a 1 game suspension instead of a 5 minute penalty in junior hockey so the other team will just remember who you are and do their absolute best to hurt you with a clean hit for the rest of the game. The kind of exception is if you hit the other teams goalie. That will get you hit from behind, cross checked, dog piled on, and often punched once you’re playing at a competitive level. Ref’s don’t usually call penalties on players who are protecting their goalies since its much easier for a goalie to get hurt from a hit than the rest of the players; their helmets focus almost exclusively on protection from the front so if they get knocked over backwards they often get concussions.
So proud of you liking our hockey... And the unwritten... I'm glad that you think it works well... So do I
I think this is the perfect example of the code, Wheeler vs Malkin. In the previous game Malkin hit Wheeler with a “bad hit” (ie to the head). He accepts Wheeler’s challenge, and although Malkin does not throw a punch in return, he also does not turtle.
ua-cam.com/video/5nY0elo4cn8/v-deo.html
After the game, Malkin admitted he accepted the fight out of the tremendous respect he had for Wheeler:
ua-cam.com/video/ZXqTEvU-vOw/v-deo.html
Thank you for highlighting this I have joined your channel and liked your video
So pumped that you covered this one!
You definitely covered it from my suggestion, not others lol
I'm 60 years old and I've been playing hockey for more that 50 years. The CODE was always part of the game and passed from father to son. I never backed down from a fight even when the other guy was bigger. Took some beatings but always had the respect of my teammates. That's what its all about. BEST GAME ON THE PLANET !!!
The sport of Canadian box lacrosse also has the exact same code. Both are Canada's national sports ( hockey - winter, lacrosse - summer).
I love this so much. I’ve been watching your videos for a bit now. In Canadian. And Scottish by descent.
In a campbell. Hate me or no. That’s my family history. I also love all your videos. Watching you react to how savage we are is a nice little joke for us. Yeah. Don’t mess with Canadians.
You learn code from day 1 playing the game. Great show.
Hockey needs a release valve for players and internal policing. You are on something almost as hard as concrete, carrying something that can be used as a weapon, playing a full contact sport at crazy high speeds. You are surrounded by the boards - there's no place to escape. It's a pressure cooker waiting to blow up if there aren't policing mechanisms.
Hockey has moved much more towards a skill game over the last decade where even enforcers/tough guys need to have a higher minimum skill level and contribute to stay in the game. Not sure if this trend will continue or if it moves in cycles, but time will tell.
If you want to see probably the craziest era of hockey fighting look up some brawls from the Broad Street Bully philadelphia flyers era. Wild times.
He did miss an honorable mention which ties in with the “don’t hit the star player” and it don’t hit the rookie
Theses are essentially playground rules. Kids these days aren’t being taught the rules. Dudes become lifelong friends under unspoken rules. Builds character.
Growing up in Canada these were school yard rules.
If you fight at school sure you get detention, but if you break the code then you get counseling.
Then you get a little older and bar fights are the same.
9:50
Funny you should say that.
Hockey was technically invented in Scottland.
I believe it started as a sort of golf on ice and then developed into a team vs team version which then became Ice Hockey.
There are two movies "Goon" and "Goon : Last Of The Enforces",
classic Hockey Movie "Slap Shot" (1977) with Paul Newman
Old hockey fight videos under "Don Cherry's Rock'em Sock'em Hockey", Don Cherry was former coach of NHL Boston Bruins team and former co/host of Coach's Corner usually shown between the first and second period of Saturday Hockey Night in Canada games.
Also a Canadian TV show called "Letterkenny" introduces a character called "Shorsey" which now has his own character/TV based show on fictional Hockey League in Northern Ontario, there is a Season 2 currently ordered / in production.
Check out “Ice Guardians”, a lot of great interviews with current and former enforcers. Some of the toughest guys to ever play the game including the guys tasked with protecting Wayne Gretzky, Dave Semenko especially.
hello!!! You are adorable! I thoroughly enjoyed your reaction and your genuine interest in the contents within. In any case....well done mate!
Thank you for doing this. There are so many people that don't understand hockey.
Absolutely love your channel.
Interestingly, there are very few pure enforcers in the game today like there was in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Everyone needs to be able to play with skill. That said, there are quite a few modern players who are in the old "Gordy Howe" mold of being great fighters and great scorers.
Thank fuck for that. The league is finally rooting out the ridiculous violence that has plagued the game, especially since the 1970s.
I saw a great example of #6 closely followed by #2. DH's alma mater (high school) game. Our team had a very small player-not powerful but quick and a good, clean player, nicknamed Mouse. One of the bigger guys on the other team decides targeting Mouse is a good idea. He laid Mouse out, Mouse did not have possession at the time. Refs didn't see it. The other team's coach kept him in. Shortly after, three of our guys put him into the boards. Refs *somehow* didn't see that, either. Kid went to his coach having a fit. Coach's body language was basically 'you asked for it'.
One of the many great things about hockey ... Most other sports if you get in a fight you get ejected from the game, ice hockey, ya go sit for 5 minutes or so, think about what you did, then go back out on the ice.
Enjoyed the reaction!
As a proud Canadian I am not ashamed to admit I LOVE hockey fights. But to be honest when they go to long then I start getting nervous for the players
To answer your question about goalie fights: no. I think I’ve only seen a handful throughout the almost 20 years I’ve been watching
You should NOT love hockey fights. Hockey fights result in concussions. SO MANY ex-enforcers have brain trauma that led to drug addiction and suicides, and other early deaths. Loving something that causes so much harm to the people that do it is shameful.
About the dis on Crosby in the video you're commenting on...just to be fair...this video shows how he was targeted as a rookie when he came into the league, because no one on his team enforced 'the code'. So he had to learn to do it himself. In the highlights shown here, you'll see some insane hits, but also see how despite having lost two teeth from the abuse he remained in the game and scored the winning goal. Crosby knew the code and re-wrote it, for the better.
ua-cam.com/video/YpGuriWhMzA/v-deo.html
As a goalie, it's extremely rare that we fight, usually happens in what's a called a bench brawl, or bench clear
Retaliation prevents players from throwing elbows or using the hockey stick as a weapon, which is unfair. If you take a big hit because you had your head down, your team will still jump in to your defense, but that's really on you.
Hockey is the perfect sport. Its unbelievably hard, but fair. Its pacey, but also incredibly tactical. Its a bit violent, but the players generally are honorable good people.
I'm so glad I discovered this sport a few years ago.
Final game off the season, 4-4 tie, 2:12 minutes to go in game. Winner takes 1st place into play-offs. Fights break out all over the ice, lights turned off. Game called. Officials didn't even want the game to start due to bad blood. God I loved playing hockey. (67 yrs. Old)
Goalie fights are rare but are some of the best things to see in a game.
Hockey players are by far the toughest athletes I'm aware of.
The sport itself is incredibly demanding and violent - potential for injury on par with rugby and American football. (Hardcore hockey people believe it's more dangerous than football... Debatable, but not really my point).
What makes hockey players so tough is a combination of the hardship of the sport and the number of games played. A full hockey season can potentially last up to nearly 110 games. It is furthermore a ruthless combination of aerobic and anaerobic effort.
For the uninitiated, hockey allows unlimited substitutions, which occur on the fly. With a game divided into 3 twenty minute periods, it is common even for stars to play less than half the game. Even so, twenty five minutes of game play spread over two hours of real time (including intermissions between periods and game stoppages) is exhausting.
Hockey players are absolute gladiators.
You know it’s funny I read your comment and it never occurred to me how tough I thought you was because it’s the only sport I ever played and I played in the metropolitan league here in New York and Wood up to Toronto and play some junior and I bounced around but 160 games and Junior and head up or do you want scholarship here in the college in America and it never occurred to me how really tough the game what is till I sat down one night with my wife and went over how many injuries I had and the whole thing with the teeth and I got a tell you if I had any idea How much damage would be done to me I might have serious reservations about continuing after college you just don’t think about it because it’s a culture you get into and you don’t play any other sport after the age of say 17 or 18 because you have to focus 100% and you have to rest when you rest
I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out! 🇨🇦😂🇨🇦
Goalie fights are very rare, but when they happen, it gets the whole building fired up!
eI'd HIGHLY recommend Secret Base's video on the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry from the late 90s and early 2000s. It was one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports and a perfect example of upholding The Code. I think you would really enjoy it
I recently watched a hockey game on tv where one member of the opposing team was in a outrage against one player and instead of joining the fight the remaining players surrounded the player he was trying to fight with so officials could remove the aggravated player …once he was off the ice they all shook hands 👏🇨🇦🫶🏻
and goalie fights are a big treat...they dont happen too often
The code isn’t limited to hockey for Canadians - it’s a way of life!
Funny enough retired goon George Parros (seen at the beginning of this video) is currently the NHL's Director of Player Safety.
Tiger Williams, Wendal Clark and Tie Domi some of the best. The other stuff was the Toronto and Philly games.
You've pbably noticed that they always hang onto eachother while they are throwing fists. This is so they don't fall down as the fight ends once someone is down
In the NHL you get kicked out if you take your helmet off to fight. They changed the rule a while ago to protect from concussions
11:08 during playoffs this year after Draisaitl got slashed really bad , Mcdavid went after Petro- prime example
The main difference with soccer is that, in hockey, the rink is much smaller, and the players are skating 30+ mph one near the others. On the other hand, in soccer, 20 players run around a bigger pitch for much longer and bigger distances. There is some physicality in the latter, but that'd mean being one man down for the whole game or without a change.
A prime example is "Fight Night in Hockeytown"
It started a full year prior.. Then it got dealt with!
Players have LONG memories when payback is due 😉
They have these rules for safety. People believe hockey is just violence but it is a game of skill and courage
The problem with if they handled soccer disputes like they do in hockey, in soccer, you are limited to what is it, two substitutions, and they play all the time. In hockey, if a fight happens, they just go to the penalty box for 5 minutes and then back to play. Plus, they can switch out players however often they want, as long as there isn't never more than 5 skaters and a goalie on the ice at once. (or on occasion 6 with no goalie if a team is down by 1 or 2 late in a game, they will have a 6th skater, to create an advantage in getting a possible goal to tie. Just have to make sure the puck stays down on your end and not get down on the other end and have the puck going in your own goal.)
To answer your question on goalie fights. No they are not common. They only really happen when everyone else on the ice is already fighting. Or the other Goalie is already fighting. Goalie fight etiquette is that if you wanna fight the other team's goalie as the Goalie. You head to center ice and wait to see if they accept. Or if the other goalie is already fighting. You may skate all the way down the ice to initiate.
What we need is: "NHL goalie reacts to hurling goalkeepers' 'protective' equipment!"
Goalie fights are really rare. Maybe one a year, league wide
There are some fine points or nuances about the sport of hockey that almost necessitate the existence and the rationalization of "enforcement" - which gets mischaracterized as those players called "goons". There are some parallels in other sports. Hockey has some aspects that are unique within the entire scope of the sport, that generate the justification of a "code".
First of all, the sport is played on ice - anything that happens in hockey first revolves around the exceptionally high skill level of skating first. Secondly, while there are multiple lines of players - the goalie is static. Thirdly, the game is within a physical boundary of the rink and boards. Fourth, sticks are used for the puck but can be manipulated as a potential means of personal interference / "weapon". Fifth, the measurement of offside (as deemed unto the ball or puck) is entirely different in judgement in hockey as compared to all of rugger, soccer or American football. ALL of these elements - create a set of playing circumstances that enable a lot of room in hockey to abuse an opposing player. If the goalie or a major finesse player are shut down or removed by a penalty or a misconduct (especially in the playoffs) it can change a team's season, never mind one game.
Soccer, rugby, football, basketball - all have distinct levels of contact - but none of these can break down as egregiously as hockey.
There are vast role differences in hockey. A major finesse oriented, smaller individual on skates can have a massively different role tnan a towering defenceman and may have a drastically different skill set all within the context of what can be done on skates. Stick handling, shooting, positioning players in relationship to the boards and fighting all occur on skates. Protecting the goalie, protecting extremely impactful scorers and the heightened physical element introduced by sharp blades, hard boards, slipping (balance), equipment; make enforcement justifiable by morals and human ethics that transcend the simple aspect that are within a game. It is a very tough game that has a governing aspect of getting the crap pounded out of you that, if removed from the game, will spiral the game into a far more abusable format and be dominated by mediocrity.
Some of the best teams have relationships that form between enforcers and goal scorers. Odjick and Buré, Gretzky and Semenko, are two of them. If a player went after Buré or Gretzky - they would get their lights punched out.
Other sports also have critical physicalities and a game within a game such as the critical performance of the front row in the scrum in rugby or the protection of a quarterback in football. Next time you watch a hockey fight - remember that it is happening on ice on metal blades first with total disregard for knuckles smashing bone and protective padding. And if you want to watch some old school competiton? Canada vs USSR - 1972 footage with Phil Esposito shouting across the ice from bench to bench - looking for a fight. Madness.
Goalie fights are the mother of pearl of hockey fights
Goalie fights are very rare. Everyone goes crazy for them though.
I can tell you as a former goalie (not NHL level) your teammates will go to war if you get hit and if you get hit you will remember that person to the end of time and blocker punch kidneys, slash, whatever you can do when they are in the crease and the ref isn't looking and it's completely acceptable. The other player understands why you are doing it, they would never tell a teammate or complain. 99% of the time hockey is self regulating (aside from stuff like offside or technical stuff the refs have to monitor) It's fast, it's sometimes violent, the amount of skill involved is mad. It's really a great sport.
I played competitively probably for almost 19 maybe 20 years and I always wondered why are we so upset with the goalie get it he’s got most of the equipment on and it was meant to be funny at the same time you’re right when Goalie gets touched the switch goes off, especially if you’re a defenseman the switch goes off in your head and now you know they’ve started something and if we can’t get satisfaction, guess which goal is gonna get run in a couple of shifts
@@ronemtae3468 Because the goalie is only responsible for stopping a puck / redirecting a puck. They have a crease around them where no contact can happen and there is an unwritten rule if they are outside of the crease you don't go after them because unless there is an empty net situation there is no way they can score.
@@ronemtae3468 Goalies are in very vulnerable positions and easy targets. If it was open season on goalies, injuries would be massive and severe. Also, you only have 2 of them.
Couldn't stop laughing when you said it should be Scotland's National game.
There are specific players on hockey teams that are partly there basically to fight.
Another very important rule, that is unwritten, but very well known:
-What happens on the Ice, stays on the Ice.
Meaning if something happens during a game, you deal with it within the game. Don't take any of the negativity/competitiveness outside of it.
Went to a fight, and a hockey game broke out. 🤣🤣🤣
I've only got to 12:41 but have to say so far just the most polite fair Canadian fighting rules lol.
Our game. Our rules. CHEERS 🇨🇦
dustin byfuglien “HERE COMES THE BOOM” is a MUST watch
Crosby is from Nova Scotia.
The fight vid you referenced is not in the description
3:15
You just summed up in a few seconds what this video needed 10+ minutes to do. Granted, they go into a lot of the unwritren conduct.
Similar to the old school "Gentleman's dual."
Refs, in any sport, are always going to be somewhat limited to administer real consequences (outside of a full ejection).
Ice hockey is played at such a fast tempo (hence why you often only play for a minute or so at a time before going to the bench), and guys get running around, and the nastiness and cheap shots become inevitable.
The Enforcer is there for when things really get stupid, and the Refs can't squash it for an entire bench of guys (there's only so many guys you can jam into a penalty box, or warrant an ejection for), and this is why some players take it into their own hands.
To, in hopes, intimidate other players from taking too many liberties, and seriously hurt somebody in an illegal way.
*Duel
Also it use to happen but it’s a huge penalty if guys on the bench come out to fight, so if your on the ice be prepared there’s no one coming to help you.
You should read the NY Times online article about enforcer Derek Boogaard. It was a tough job.
"It was a tough job" is a rather shameful way to describe "it literally killed him, and many others like him."
What you said about Football/Soccer at 3:30 mark is so fucking true.
You keep saying that Hockey should be "Scotlands national sport", well surprisingly hockey did originate from Scotland from the late 1800 century. So thanks Scotland from Canada, our national sport. :)
I love goalie fights the best
The enforcer exists in all levels of hockey in Canada. Though the sport is trying to get rid of it. It's part of the game. My job as a defensive player was to always protect the goalie. Many fights in front the net after the whistle.
You must check out Bob Probert vs. Marty McSorely... Feb.4 1994, watch what happens at the end!!
React to players coming home and playing against the team they got traded from.
Modern hockey fighting is definitely the closest thing I can think of to a gentleman’s duel (you know, the type with swords or pistols) in the modern day.
Defenceman are my favorite players. They don't get appreciated as much as the other positions (goalie maybe). Tall to small, Zdeno Chara 6'9, Torrey Krug 5'9. & the goats like 🐐 Bobby orr 🐐, lidstrom, Robinson
Goalie fights are the best!!!!!
Do not turtle.... proceeds to show picture of Turtlechuk (Tkachuk)😂
Your allowed fighting in box lacrosse as well you should check that out