Fighting in Hockey

Let me start this off by saying that I love hockey. I’m a Washington Capitals fan and dang proud of it. Then again, it’s really easy to embrace a team that doesn’t seem to perform in a less than stellar manner.

On Tuesday the Caps played the Los Angeles Kings at the Verizon Center. This has not been a winning combination for the Capitals in recent years but as any DC area sports fan, I had to remain optimistic. Chicken was made for dinner, I took a seat on my beanbag chair (I kid you not, I have a beanbag chair), and let the game begin.

Like any hockey game, it starts off pretty fast. There’s a lot of back and forth. My attention is being held. There are a lot of back and forth calls. The best thing about it? Six minutes in, NO PENALTIES. WHAT?! That is almost unheard of. IT was great and it definitely helped the game go by faster. Of course, to make it even better, it was Troy Brower’s 500^th game and he scored twice. To top it all off, Holtby the goalie (teehee) had 27 saves. It was a pretty classic game.

Even with all the positives, the key part of hockey that almost defines it as more than ice-skating with sticks (don’t hate for the comparison, but I need some entertainment) is the fighting. I absolutely love the fighting. I can’t get enough of it. It isn’t as good nowadays as it used to be but every now and then, the boys fight. And yeah, they fought. There was one where a Caps player was pushed down in front of the Kings’ net because they thought he hit the goalie. I didn’t see it in the replay but they claim it happened. Anyway, I got into it. Yelling at the TV was definitely a huge part of it.

Why is it that I am so fascinated by the fighting? Don’t get me wrong, I love hockey. I love the game. But it is easier for me to fall asleep during almost any other sporting event on TV. Key phrase, on TV. I can take really great naps during a hockey game. But when the fighting happens?! I AM AWAKE! I AM INTO IT! I AM EXCITED JUST TYPING ABOUT IT! I think I just love the fact that grown adult males are going to get in a fight because one tripped the other. It’s funny to think about because in my mind I just picture the 5 year-old boys in my neighborhood doing that to each other. It’s also fascinating because just like the 5 year-old boys in my neighborhood, the hockey players get a time out! I just imagine the officials taking them to the box going, “Yes I know he hit you too but you started it…. I don’t care… I don’t care you should have finished it… Two minute time out…” It puts a genuine smile on my face whenever I think about it.

I love the fights. I do. I embrace them. It’s always a huge bummer when the officials break it up. I think everyone loves the fighting though. It lets out aggression and it really brings the fans into the game to back the team up no matter what the score is. Yes, no matter the score. Your team could be down 7-0 and you will still get up and yell if a fight starts out.

Gotta love hockey!