Hockey or Ice Boxing? Seven of the Greatest NHL Fights Ever Fought

• Roger Fenimoore
• Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Not everyone is as excited as I am about the NHL season dropping the puck. I’ve always thought that it’s an incredible game that has been overshadowed by all the flashiness of the NFL and NBA.

So why do I think hockey is so great? First of all, it’s a sport of grace; could you imagine an athlete of Lebron’s size skating?

Then there’s the brutality of the game. These guys give and take some monster hits on either open ice or along the boards.

But there’s only one thing that makes hockey better…fights. Maybe after you watch these clips you’ll realize why it’s the coolest sport around.

7. Aaron Downey KO’s Jesse Boulerice (March 18, 2006)

This isn’t really a fight, more like a whooping, but who doesn’t like a lights-out video?

6. PJ Stock vs. Stephen Peat (January 5, 2002)

This fight reminded me of an old school NHL knock-down-drag-out fight.

5. Bob Probert vs. Craig Coxe (November 19, 1987)

It was damn hard in choosing a fight that involved Bob Probert, he was one fighting dude. Ultimately, I had to go with this slug fest.

4. Pierre Bouchard vs. Stan Johnathan (May 21, 1978)

Things seem to get tense when the Bruins and Canadians face off. To sweeten the pot, this was for the Stanley Cup. There just had to be blood.

3. Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche (March 26, 1997)

In the late 90’s the Western Conference was dominated by these two powerhouses, which meant when they met, things were going to get out of hand. This fight is probably most memorable for the clash of the goalies between Patrick Roy and Chris Osgood.

2. Montreal Canadians vs. Boston Bruins (November 20, 1986)

As I said earlier, when Boston and Montreal meet, something good is bound to happen. Just like picking one Probert fight, it was a challenge in deciding on just one fight between these two original NHL clubs. The fact that this fight goes into the hallway to the locker room, hence why it’s known as “The Brawl in the Hallway,” made it hands down the best decision.

1. Philadelphia Flyers vs. Ottawa Senators (March 5, 2004)

I remember actually watching this game and never thought that it would escalate to this. While Philly and Ottawa are rivals in the East, they’re not part of classic rivalries, like Boston and Montreal. What started off as a little scuffle became an all out brawl between the clubs, which resulted in setting the record for most penalty minutes in a single game at 419 minutes.

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