The Moronic Vityaz Squad

Fighting is not very popular in Europe, especially Russia.  Don't tell that to Vityaz.  Their team is so tough compared to the rest of the league it would be like having an NHL team play against a high school team.  They spend half of the game skating after players, literally.  They have even had games be suspended and have been warned by the league.  That doesn't seem to stop them.  Here is their latest attempt at playing.













The team is an absolute embarrassment.  All the players in the video for the red and white team are washed out North American players, primarily from the AHL.  They apparently now get enjoyment out of beating up much smaller Russian players.  

California Brawlin

Well folks, this video goes right into the category of Brawl of the Year candidate.  Watch it unfold.




This one had everything.

Starts with a big hit.  Progresses to one fight and before you know it everybody has a partner.  Things seem to be going smoothly until the unwritten rule of no going after a player already involved with another is broken.  Actually it's not even unwritten.  It's a fuckin rule.

Either way the outcome was classic.  All 12 skaters on the ice received fighting majors and all but the two original fighters were ejected.  One brawl, 12 fighting majors, 10 ejections.  Going to be hard to top this one.

Back and Forth

The one thing I love about professional hockey is you can really get some good rivalries going.  Adam Huxley as been slugging it out in hockey's version of AA baseball for nine seasons now.  Burnett is up to five.  Both know how to throw.

His First

Travis McEvoy decided to drop his gloves for the first time in the WHL to try and fire up his team.  The 17 year old might have second thoughts on doing it again.

That's Got to Hurt

If Alexander Ovechkin isn't running over you, he is disfiguring your body.  Just ask Matt Hendricks.  He was at practice not anywhere near the net when Ovie fired off one of his patented blasts that careened around the boards.  The end result of the shot was this:

Seriously, that cannot feel good.  As bad as these are and assuming they are not career/life threatening, I get a kick out of this stuff.  I talked about Darryl Boyce slicing part of his nose off last season, Taylor Hall takes a skate to the face and Hendricks gets his ear sliced.  All injuries were repaired in the locker room.  Hall was riding a stationary bike after taking 30 stitches to prepare for the game after the warm-up injury.  He wanted to play but they could not get the bleeding to stop and his helmet would not fit on his ballooning head.

Hendricks didn't miss a game.  Just another casual hockey injury.  No big deal.  Stitch is up and get back out there.  

Southern Style

A league favorite of mine perhaps because teams in the south always have interesting names or because there are so few teams the rivalries become insane.


Actually a lot going on in this one.  Let me explain.

It quickly becomes an odd man situation but every time one guy jumps in another from the opposing team does.  The goalie comes in hesitant of the situation as you can see each team has three guys in the scrum.  He goes for a grab but the official points for him to get away.  The other goalie comes flying in which is acceptable but starts throwing punches with the other goalie on the ice.  Not cool.  Yet still everybody keeps away.  Fights are one v one.  Brown in this case is also right like the announcers say.  You want to go, let me be prepared.  And I don't know who these announcers are but big props for the hockey knowledge.  The goalie that came skating in was ejected.  Brown received a fighting major and no ejection.  Or in other words, he received nothing.

Fade Away KO

This has got to be a first for me.  This comes to us from a Quebec league.  Surprisingly enough since many French-Canadian players are commonly thought of as soft, a few leagues in the province are known for pure fighting.  By the way, don't mind the music but maybe want to stop it when the guy is flat on his face.

Weekend Fun Part II

From the other junior U.S. league we get what appears to be a mild manner skirmish before things turn quickly into a full on brawl.  Everybody played by the rules though so well done boys.

Take it Outside

Little setup.

Canadian outdoor game featuring the minor league teams of Montreal and Toronto.

Zack Fitzgerald and Kelsey Wilson

Combined AHL fights according to me before the season = 127

Have fun.

Weekend Fun

Got to catch up with some videos from a busy weekend in hockey.

First we start in the North American league where we get a classic line brawl.  There are two basic rules when a brawl or fight occurs.  Rule one, it is always a one v one situation.  When two players are going you let them go.  If a third gets involved, anything goes.  Two, you never throw punches when the other player is on the ice.

Watch #18 clearly violate a rule in the fight closest to the camera.  Hope this kids gets his ass fucking pounded next time they play.  Put this one on NHL network.

Skate to the Face

So that is what it looks like when somebody steps on your face with a skate.  Good news.  Assuming he can see, Hall will be playing Saturday night.  Why?  Because he is a hockey player.

Basic Hockey

Here is a basic understanding of how hockey works provided in this condensed video.

Ottawa's Karlsson makes a hit attempt on Evander Kane.

Kane does not like it, so he goes after Karlsson with an elbow towards the head.

Chris Neil, resident goon for Ottawa takes notice of the hit on the NHL leader in points by a defenseman and non-tough guy and next time out plows Kane, starting a scrum.



There were 16 penalty minutes handed out in this scrum.  The rest of the game had 8.

Differences settled. 

Wonder how Rene Bourque will do tomorrow.

Euro Style

Always like to see a good fight in a European league.  Mainly because it is rare since Europeans are not really known to fight.  Did a little research and found Christian Ehrhoff has the most fights in the NHL for a non-North American player this year with 2.  That would put him in 84th spot.  And he hurt himself in the second one and has not been back since. 

Anyway, here we have a scrap from the top league in Austria.  Of course the two players are North American but also found out something new that the league just started.  Just like the KHL in Russia did this past season, this league also put in a new rule.  Players are no longer ejected for fighting.  Awesome.  And they tell me fighting is leaving the game.

If you can get past the advertised Nascar look-a-like jersey enjoy.  Bonus:  A little Beastie Boys, Fight For Your Right.  Niiiice.

Junior Hockey

From the world of junior league hockey we get a fan perspective of one very unhappy team.  This is the top league comprised of almost all American teams with mostly American players in the United States.  By the way, love the metal being played during the brawl.  Classic!

Not The First Time, Nor Last

Fighting is part of the game.  In college hockey it is not.  Thus you get things like this from Minnesota and North Dakota.  It wasn't much but it sure makes the classy handshake after a spirited game look rather dumb.  And this isn't the first time I've seen an altercation.  Funny how I only seem to see this in college hockey.  A place where fighting is not allowed.

Meet Mr. Fletcher

Former Reading Royal tough guy Scott Fletcher shows he can do other things besides fight.  Here he shows us all how to make the perfect open ice hip check.  No penalty was called on the play.

Ups and Downs

The role of NHL enforcer took another hit today as Toronto demoted heavyweight fighter Colton Orr to the AHL.  In the last six seasons he recorded 99 fighting majors and added his 100th this year.  15 years ago any team would have loved to have him skating on their fourth line and protecting their stars.  But pure goonery is becoming a thing of the past and unfortunately for Orr he brings very little to the table.  Welcome back Colton.  Not sure how often you will tussle anymore but players beware.

Here is a small sample of his rivalry with Matt Carkner.  He might be more remembered for just about ending the career of one Todd Fedoruk of the Philadelphia Flyers.  But we won't go there.



In his place returns Darryl Boyce, a hard-nosed, scrapper, mucker and grinder who does just about anything to win.  I will forever remember Boyce for not exactly what he brought to the ice but what he lost on it in one of the weirdest hockey injuries I will probably ever see.



It is hard to see, but Boyce actually checks himself face first into the open camera hole.  What happened?  He severed off part of his nose.  Seriously.  And like a hockey player he skates, or at least attempts to (he looked a little off course at the end of the video) back to the bench and then snaps a picture for twitter before getting repairs.

Respect the Seat

Our dear friend Gustaf is clearly a bit perturbed after his team's heart-breaking loss in the Sturbohm Cup.  His friends and fellow supporters give him plenty of room to cool off knowing his previous history after bad loses.  After a few paces back and forth Gustaf shows off his great soccer technique. 

Lars Doubles Up

Montreal Candien forward Lars Eller came into last night's game with four goals.  After 60 minutes he left with another four, including getting a little bit fancy in the Candiens strong win against Winnipeg.

New US Striker

Don't look now but Landon Donovan will have some competition should the U.S. make the World Cup in 2014.  Longtime National team goalie Tim Howard, who has played in the English Premier League since 2003, put did the nearly impossible in a game versus Bolton.

 


I believe the scorecard read:

Goal: Howard
Assist: Wind

Not So Classic

Even thought the much anticipated Winter Classic battle between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers produced little hostility, fans took the rivalry into their own hands. Literally. Either these Rangers fans were talking smack about Jagr's pulled groin or what's more likely, had some not-so-nice things to say about the Philly cheesteak.