All 10 skaters brawl off opening faceoff at start of Devils-Rangers game

I hate it when a hockey game breaks out during a fight.

When you watch the video it's insane.

They just drop their gloves and go at it.

The referees just standing around watching it.

This new guy Rempe is providing a hit for the NHL in more ways than one.

It was like a remake of " Slapshot".

Classy! Sportsmanship at it's finest.

I guess they don't like each other.

Better sportsmanship than soccer with institutionalized diving and faking injury.

I don't get this about icehockey. In what other team sport does the referees just stand around watching when a first fight breaks out? How can this be an accepted part of the game?

I always thought it was funny in the old Blades of Steel game, when a fight broke out only the loser got sent to the penalty box, presumably because he needed to recover.

grundApr. 4 08:45 pm JST

I don't get this about icehockey. In what other team sport does the referees just stand around watching when a first fight breaks out? How can this be an accepted part of the game?

The players are heavily padded, even more so than the referees. In sense it is safer to let them tire each other out in what will likely only result in a few scrapes and cuts.

This is just classic hockey with teams policing each other. Hockey fans love it!

The teams wanted to settle this "bad blood" before the season ends in a few games, so they don't have to let it simmer for months till next season and definitely not during the playoffs.

This happened because NY player Rempe was playing dirty hurting NJ players in their 2 previous games (Rempe got ejected both games). In fact, Rempe got ejected in this game too, making him the first player in a century to get ejected in all first 3 games against the same opponent!

Initially, the fight was only going to be Rempe vs. NJ "enforcer" MacDermid (all teams have "enforcers" who protect their star players; Rempe is NY's enforcer) - but Rempe's teammates wanted to show solidarity with him, so they challenged the other NJ players too. That's how this ended up 5 vs. 5 fight

The NHL won't even make that big of a deal out of this. They'll issue fines and maybe a suspension, but that's it; there won't be a news conference or anything. Hockey players are the toughest players - this won't even hurt them, lol

Classy! Sportsmanship at it's finest.

It is sportsmanship - because it's a fair fight

A hockey "enforcer" challenges the opponent's enforcer - both accept to protect their teammates. (It's better that they fight than let their teammates fight or get injured.)

The "bad blood" gets settled on the ice; everything's back to square; then everybody can just calm down and go on and play some hockey

lostrune2Apr. 5  05:34 am JST “ This is just classic hockey with teams policing each other. Hockey fans love it!

The teams wanted to settle this "bad blood" before the season ends in a few games, so they don't have to let it simmer for months till next season and definitely not during the playoffs.

This happened because NY player Rempe was playing dirty hurting NJ players in their 2 previous games (Rempe got ejected both games). In fact, Rempe got ejected in this game too, making him the first player in a century to get ejected in all first 3 games against the same opponent!

Initially, the fight was only going to be Rempe vs. NJ "enforcer" MacDermid (all teams have "enforcers" who protect their star players; Rempe is NY's enforcer) - but Rempe's teammates wanted to show solidarity with him, so they challenged the other NJ players too. That's how this ended up 5 vs. 5 fight

The NHL won't even make that big of a deal out of this. They'll issue fines and maybe a suspension, but that's it; there won't be a news conference or anything. Hockey players are the toughest players - this won't even hurt them, lol “

Classy! Sportsmanship at it's finest.

“ It is sportsmanship - because it's a fair fight

A hockey "enforcer" challenges the opponent's enforcer - both accept to protect their teammates. (It's better that they fight than let their teammates fight or get injured.)

The "bad blood" gets settled on the ice; everything's back to square; then everybody can just calm down and go on and play some hockey “

Heheh, thanks for that little lesson. I’m not exactly an expert and I don’t have time to watch the games so thanks. Some scores were settled, I guess. Heheh.

…

danApr. 4  08:10 pm JST “ Pathetic. “

grundApr. 4  08:45 pm JST “ I don't get this about icehockey. In what other team sport does the referees just stand around watching when a first fight breaks out? How can this be an accepted part of the game? “

Don’t like it(?), there are tons of other sports you can watch. :)

Pathetic.

Old time hockey

Eddie Shore?

p&@ on Eddie Shore

they come here tonight to watch the Chiefs!

buchailldana Today  08:16 pm JST

The referees just standing around watching it.

That's typically what the officials do in hockey.

They'll move in only when (a) one guy clearly has the other guy beat, or (b) the two guys just run out of gas and can't punch anymore.

Oh, they'll often try to get in between two guys to stop them from fighting in the first place, if they can.

But if the fight's already started, there's not much else they can do.

grund Today  08:45 pm JST

I don't get this about icehockey. In what other team sport does the referees just stand around watching when a first fight breaks out? How can this be an accepted part of the game?

I'm not a hockey-fight fan myself, but I sort of get it.

It's different from other sports because they don't have guys on skates with sticks in their hands moving 20 miles an hour, like hockey does.

And when you factor that in, things can get ... shall we say, heated. Much more so than in other sports.

And a lot of hockey people will tell you that the fighting can actually help keep the game cleaner. Because of the fighting, the players police themselves. They know that if they get too dirty, especially with the other team's best players, they might have to "face the music."

There are pro leagues (like in Europe) where fighting isn't allowed -- and they commit cheap-shots with their sticks like crazy. Without the fighting, the players can't police themselves in that situation.

I can't stand the "staged" fights. But when one spontaneously breaks out because some guys are getting too chippy out there with their sticks, a good one-on-one fight can actually cool things off.

NY & NJ have always hated each other.

This happens from time to time in the sport. Unfortunate as it is. It's Ice Hockey.

Go Bruins.