Fighting in Hockey.

[Warren Jeeves]

I know nothing about hockey, most English people don't, but I did get free tickets and travel to a game once through my kids school.
I really enjoyed it, best team sport I've ever seen, but I'm not sure what the fighting is all about. One fight broke out between two players and rather the referee trying to stop it, the whole thing seemed to be encouraged, music was put on for extra drama too.
So my question is, is a fight expected and put on for the sake of pleasing the fans, or is it spur of the moment real?
It looked real enough, they were punching each other in the head after they took their masks off, but if it was me, I'd have kept mine on and hit the other bloke around the head with my stick 

[Ikit Klaw]

Oh the fights are real, and generally not broken up till the players hit the ice or it has gone on for a while. The players usually each get a 2 minute penalty and have to sit in the penalty box for that time, they are a spur of the moment thing due to tempers flaring or as retaliation to a player making a cheap hit on a teammate.  and not just put on for the fans. 

[Warren Jeeves]

Nice video it's madness, imagine if they did that in tennis, Wimbledon would be worth a watch
It's a wonder that assault charges aren't brought against them though, they must have some sort of legal thing in place where that can't happen unless you square up to your opponent with a chainsaw

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Jan 30, 2017 22:45:45 GMT Warren Jeeves said:

I know nothing about hockey, most English people don't, but I did get free tickets and travel to a game once through my kids school.
I really enjoyed it, best team sport I've ever seen, but I'm not sure what the fighting is all about. One fight broke out between two players and rather the referee trying to stop it, the whole thing seemed to be encouraged, music was put on for extra drama too.
So my question is, is a fight expected and put on for the sake of pleasing the fans, or is it spur of the moment real?
It looked real enough, they were punching each other in the head after they took their masks off, but if it was me, I'd have kept mine on and hit the other bloke around the head with my stick 

Fighting is a big part of the sport, well it has been in the past anyway.   It is typically the result of physical gameplay where one player gets checked hard and one of his teammates steps up to "defend" him.

A lot of times if players feel something "dirty" happened there will be a fight as well.  This video is a perfect example of this.  

[Warren Jeeves]

It's odd they get away with it though, all other sports apart from fighting sports, this sort of behaviour isn't acceptable. But it's great and it would be a shame if it ever changed.

[Ikit Klaw]

Hockey is a rough, physical sport with lots of contact, and fighting has always been part of it, tho you do see less of it now then back a few decades ago. 

[Warren Jeeves]

Thanks for posting that video, just watched it all and I now have a better understanding of the sport.
It does seem like more rules should be brought in to protect players, and the code should be better practiced.

[Dr_Do-Little]

@warren Jeeves (Ok, this doesn't seem to work) Laws don't apply on the ice... We have our own set of rules! But yes, fight once was a very important part of NA Hockey and still exist. Much different than international or Europeans Hockey.)
I'll play the leftist once again (It is my fate in life) and say it's about time we get rid of that. Of course I'm a "Hab's whinner" and the big bad Boston guy won't agree! lol Rivalry you know.
Hockey is sometimes called "the fastest game on earth" for a reason. You already experienced the team play. Action is fast, hits are hard. Referee are... well... human? Referee are worst than any sports you can think of. So players take matter in their own hands. You wanna play dirty? Be ready to pay for it.

I like clean hockey but not if you have to take away the hard hitting NA style. that IS hockey. Gotta protect your guys so.. yes. Fight will occur unless there's a big change up there.
Where's Nilan when you need him?

[JRico_32]

Jan 31, 2017 0:02:05 GMT Ikit Klaw said:

Hockey is a rough, physical sport with lots of contact, and fighting has always been part of it, tho you do see less of it now then back a few decades ago. 

Agreed. Better when it was this;



Instead of this;

[Ikit Klaw]

Jan 31, 2017 21:30:16 GMT Dr_Do-Little said:

@warren Jeeves (Ok, this doesn't seem to work) Laws don't apply on the ice... We have our own set of rules! But yes, fight once was a very important part of NA Hockey and still exist. Much different than international or Europeans Hockey.)
I'll play the leftist once again (It is my fate in life) and say it's about time we get rid of that. Of course I'm a "Hab's whinner" and the big bad Boston guy won't agree! lol Rivalry you know.
Hockey is sometimes called "the fastest game on earth" for a reason. You already experienced the team play. Action is fast, hits are hard. Referee are... well... human? Referee are worst than any sports you can think of. So players take matter in their own hands. You wanna play dirty? Be ready to pay for it.

I like clean hockey but not if you have to take away the hard hitting NA style. that IS hockey. Gotta protect your guys so.. yes. Fight will occur unless there's a big change up there.
Where's Nilan when you need him?

Dr_Do-Little It does but you have to use their username and not display name.