As the frequency of fighting continues to decline in today's NHL, line brawls and goalie fights are largely a thing of the past -- a real rarity. But on Saturday in Arizona, we got a taste of old time hockey, and both goalies got in on the action.
At the end of the second period of Saturday's Coyotes-Flames game, a fracas broke out in front of the Arizona net. Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau and Arizona's Jason Demers traded a couple of shots but it was Gaudreau who drew a penalty when he was whistled for cross-checking the Coyotes defenseman from behind.
Clearly not pleased with Demers, Gaudreau delivered another little love shot to the defenseman while he laid on the ground. This drew a crowd, and Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper decided to play bodyguard by grabbing Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk from behind. Kuemper put Tkachuk in a headlock and dragged him to the ice, which got the crowd going and really seemed to really set things off.
Noticing Kuemper taking an active role in the shenanigans, Calgary's own netminder Dave Rittich made the trek across the ice to join in. Rittich was hoping to get a piece of Kuemper but it seemed as though Tkachuk was intent on exacting his own revenge. The Flames forward locked up with the Arizona goaltender and took a couple shots when he found an opening, but officials were eventually able to intervene and break things up.
When the tensions settled, seven penalties were handed out -- including a double-minor to Kuemper for roughing and a penalty on Rittich for leaving the crease.
But when all was said and done, Kuemper got the last laugh by posting a 37-save shutout to blank the Flames in a 3-0 victory.
