Sunday night's NHL preseason matchup between the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs resulted in a full-line brawl and goalie fight that showed both the best and worst that hockey has to offer.
Preseason games don't mean anything, but don't tell that to these two teams.
It all started with a somewhat routine fight between Jamie Devane and Corey Tropp in which Tropp ended up getting dropped at the end.
He had his helmet removed during the fight, and seemed to smash his bare head on the ice at the end. Tropp struggled to get up and stumbled off the ice in a scary and sobering scene.
It is just another reminder of the well-intentioned new rule that the NHL has instilled which prohibits players from taking off their helmets before fights.
Players may get their hands hurt worse, but better their hands than their brains.
Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle then sent in his top line for the next shift, figuring that would diffuse the situation and let the focus go back to playing.
Clearly, he was wrong.
At 1:34, Phil Kessel ran his mouth and Buff ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Garrett Baker
Sabres-Maple Leafs Brawl Shows Best and Worst of Hockey
September 22nd, 2013 by Garrett Baker Leave a reply »
Advertisement