Reasons Why The Fans Love Hockey Fighting

Walk down the street to your office and you would likely be shocked if you saw two of your coworkers on the sidewalk exchanging punches. But continue that walk all the way to an arena such as Boston's TD Garden to watch the Bruins play the Montreal Canadiens and you would probably be disappointed if at least one fight didn't erupt.

Fighting In Hockey

It can be a nasty look, a hard check or an event that took place in a game months or even years ago. But when one player wants to fight in hockey, he will try to goad an opponent. An instant later, the gloves get thrown off and two angry athletes start exchanging punches. The bout will last from five seconds to a minute or longer. It ends when one or both players tumble to the ice or one fighter clearly gets the best of his opponent. The linesmen eventually separate the two combatants. Teammates smack their sticks on the ice to show their approval and and fans roar in support. The penalty for such mayhem? Each player gets five minutes in the penalty box and then they are allowed to return to the ice if no additional penalties have been called.

Fully Engaged

When two players engage in a fight, fans of each team are usually thrilled to see a member of their team take on an opponent. "We love to see a player from our team fight because it shows that at least one player on our team is fully committed and will do anything to help the cause of winning," said former Montreal Canadien and broadcast analyst Brian Engblom. "In our minds, it shows how bad the players want victory and we love it."

Tough Guys

Throughout the course of hockey, teams have handled perceived dirty play by their opponents by sending out a big, powerful and tough player to make the offending player face a form of vigilante justice. If a star player gets tripped, roughed or speared by a lesser opponent, the star's coach sends out a player who is willing to engage an opponent to seek revenge. When that player comes out on the ice, it is clear to all in the arena -- players, coaches, referees and fans -- why he is out there. If the opposing player is willing, a fight ensues and it is handled right at the moment. "This keeps players from doing other dirty plays like swinging their sticks," said former coach Don Cherry, who has been a noted hockey analyst on Canadian television. "If the pacifists had their way and there was no more fighting, there would be more injuries and more dirty play."

Great Fighters

While the game is dominated by the speed and skill of the top skaters, some of the top fighters in the game's history have been among the fan favorites. Philadelphia Flyer left wing Dave Schultz was perhaps the game's best fighter in the mid-1970s when the Flyers won back to back Stanley Cup championships. Boston's Terry O'Reilly earned the nickname the Tasmanian Devil because of the speed of his fast hands. When the Montreal Canadiens were winning titles in the 1960s and 1970s with speed and skill, they depended on tough guy John Ferguson to defend stars such as Jean Beliveau and Yvon Cournoyer.