Many are sure that fights on the ice are an integral part of hockey, especially in commercial club leagues — the NHL and the KHL. The referees do not separate the players when they take off their gloves and fight, and the stands happily support the fight.
Recently, there have been fewer fights in the NHL, and the organizers are trying to reduce violence in hockey. We remembered the most epic and bloody NHL fights that will forever remain in history.
Nick Kypreos — Ryan Vandenbusch
Toronto Maple Leafs — New York Rangers, September 15, 1997
It was a preseason match: Rangers rookie Ryan Vandenbusch wanted to prove himself — so much so that he fought with experienced tough guy Niko Kypreos from Toronto.
At first the forces were equal, but then Vandenbusch powerfully hit his opponent in the jaw and knocked him out.
Vandenbusch was a famous fighter and, as his partners note, a good boxer. The knockout looked terrible: as Kypreos fell, his helmet came off and he hit his head on the ice. A huge pool of blood formed under the hockey player — everyone was afraid that he would die.
Kypreos was taken to the hospital with a severe concussion. The 32-year-old tough guy’s hockey career ended after this injury. Fortunately, he survived and subsequently worked as a TV pundit.
Patrick Roy — Chris Osgood
Colorado Avalanche — Detroit Red Wings, April 1, 1998
The most famous goalie fight in the NHL is the fight between Patrick Roy and Chris Osgood. By the third period, Detroit was up 2–0. A massive skirmish near the substitutes’ benches escalated into a full-fledged goalkeeper brawl.
Rua was head and shoulders above the Detroit goalkeeper and more experienced in fights. He pulled the sweater over his head, but Osgood quickly freed himself.
Rua landed several good blows, but in the end lost the initiative — he could not stay on his feet and fell on the ice. In total, 46 penalties and 228 total penalty minutes were issued in the match.
Tony Twist — Rob Ray
St. Louis Blues — Buffalo Sabers, November 27, 1995
A fight between top NHL tough guys ended with dire consequences. During the fight, Twist literally pressed Ray’s eyeball into the bridge of his nose. Surprisingly, he finished the match and consulted a doctor only after it was over.
“I immediately realized that Tony had done something terrible to me. All sounds and sensations disappeared from my head. I continued to fight on automatic and I don’t remember how I spent five minutes on the penalty box.
After the match, I decided to blow my nose, and the air came out not through my nose, but through a crack in my eye socket. The guys froze and watched as the air bubble slowly moved under my skin: from my eye to my jaw, and then back again,” Ray recalled.
Fortunately, the hockey player recovered and returned to the ice — he played in the NHL for another nine seasons.
PJ Stock — Steven Peet
Boston Bruins — Washington Capitals, January 5, 2002
This fight was remembered for the boxing skills of the Boston tough guy, who grabbed his opponent and pounded him in the face with great speed. However, a series of shots from Stock did not bother Pete at all: he rarely responded, but stood on his skates.
The hockey players showed miracles of resilience and ended the fight on their feet. The fight was reminiscent of one of the most brutal fights in MMA history. In 2002, Don Frye and Yoshihiro Takayama landed 93 punches to the face in 30 seconds. They grabbed each other as if in a hockey clinch, and without protection they struck at close range.
Mass fight between Boston hockey players and spectators
Boston Bruins — New York Rangers, December 23, 1979
This is the only fight in the history of hockey when the players threw their fists at the fans. The instigators were the Boston hockey players — their forward climbed over the glass and walked straight towards the opposing fans in his skates.
The fight was provoked by fan John Captain: he helped his favorite team and pulled out the stick of Stan Jonathan from Boston standing next to him. Having stripped him of his equipment, John added a blow directly to the hockey player’s face.
One of the Rangers fans tried to resist the hockey player. But the Boston forward was joined by teammates Bob Miller, Al Secord, Craig McTavish, Brad McCrimmon and Tom Songin. Peter McNab and Mike Milbury managed to climb the highest onto the podium and beat up another fan.
The attempts of a lone policeman to stop the hockey players looked pathetic. Taking to the streets, several fans were eventually able to fight back. They began to rock the Boston bus, and the hockey players left only with the help of mounted police and arena security.
If you are interested in sports, read our article about the dirtiest acts in the history of football. David Beckham, Jose Mourinho and even Roman Shirokov are on the blacklist!