November 04, 2009

All-Out Brawl Breaks Out at IHL Game: Saturday night's game between the International Hockey League's Muskegon Lumberjacks and Fort Wayne Comets featured a massive brawl that included referee spills, enforcers going after skilled guys and players leaving the penalty box to resume fighting (video, beginning at 1:10). "Broom County is just visibly upset by this display," said announcer Jim Carr. "Come on down and get places for the home games. Bring the kids."

posted by rcade to hockey at 08:01 AM - 6 comments

I'm surprised the game continued. Tossing referees out of the way seems a little over the top.

posted by dusted at 12:34 PM on November 04, 2009

I find it hard to respect minor-league hockey when they allow that kind of stuff to go on for so long. Letting a player fight after he has left the penalty box, instead of immediately stopping it, makes a complete mockery of the rules.

One thing that amused me about the video was seeing the less aggressive players pair up without fighting. It looked like a school dance.

posted by rcade at 12:41 PM on November 04, 2009

Don't they usually stop the combatants after they have fallen to the ice? I saw two players down on the ice for so long in the vid I thought they were going to fall asleep. Or make up.

posted by THX-1138 at 01:13 PM on November 04, 2009

I find it hard to respect minor-league hockey when they allow that kind of stuff to go on for so long. Letting a player fight after he has left the penalty box, instead of immediately stopping it, makes a complete mockery of the rules.

I agree. I have tried to follow minor league hockey a few times but find myself turned off by the excessive fighting. I say that as someone who believes that fighting does have a part in the NHL, just not at the frequency I've seen in minor league hockey.

That said, my experience could be way off, so feel free to tell me how wrong I am.

But how could anyone expect someone named Robin Big Snake to not come out of the penalty box? In a long list of great hockey names, RBS is near the top for sure.

posted by BoKnows at 05:20 PM on November 04, 2009

Nice rcade.

"Hey Hannerhan! Susanne's a dyke! I know! I know!"

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:10 PM on November 04, 2009

I know this is a (tiny) minority view but I would enjoy hockey much more if they just got rid of the fighting. What other sport (that isn't about fighting like boxing or chess boxing) even allows anything close to this?

posted by billsaysthis at 12:36 PM on November 05, 2009

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