Goalie Fights, a Bloody History

The recent fight between netminders Rick DiPietro and Brent Johnson inspired us to dig through hours of tape to find some of the best goalie fights in NHL history. by Jeff Laboon

 

November 10, 1996: Felix Potvin (Toronto Maple Leafs) vs. Ron Hextall (Philadelphia Flyers)

      Hextall races up ice to find Potvin in the midst of a postgame brawl. Both goalies connect on a few haymakers before they tie each other up. 

March 26, 1997: Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche) vs. Mike Vernon (Detroit Red Wings)

It’s the defining moment of the bitter Avalanche/Red Wings rivalry of the 90s. Roy and Vernon meet at center ice to exchange jabs. Vernon ends the fight when, he tackles Roy, to the pleasure of the Hockeytown crowd. 

May 3, 1997, 1996-97 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Garth Snow (Philadelphia Flyers) vs. Steve Shields (Buffalo Sabres)

Despite multiple efforts by the linesmen to keep the two separated, they eventually meet at center ice and Shields tries to flip Snow into the Sabres’ bench. But Snow gets the last laugh as the Flyers eliminate the Sabres in five games.  

April 4, 1998: Dan Cloutier (New York Rangers) vs. Tommy Salo (New York Islanders) 

Cloutier lunges for a distracted Salo and pummels him to the ice before skating by the Islanders’ bench to challenge Salo’s teammates. 

December 20, 2001: Felix Potvin (Los Angeles Kings) vs. Jani Hurme (Ottawa Senators)

Hurme pulls Potvin over to the Senators’ bench so his teammates can remove his glove. With his hand free, Hurme strikes Potvin multiple times before the officials step in.  

January 17, 2002: Byron Dafoe (Boston Bruins) vs. Patrick Lalime (Ottawa Senators)

Dafoe connects with five right hands before knocking Lalime off his feet. A bloody Lalime then limps over to his bench while Dafoe celebrates with teammates. 

February 22, 2007:  Ray Emery (Ottawa Senators) vs. Martin Biron (Buffalo Sabres)

Biron learns a valuable lesson: don’t fight the goalie with champion boxers decorating his mask. Emery makes short work of an overmatched Biron and then challenges Sabres’ tough guy Andrew Peters. 

February 2, 2011:  Rick DiPietro (New York Islanders) vs. Brent Johnson (Pittsburgh Penguins)

The much taller Johnson delivers a left hook knockdown that fractures bones in DiPietro’s face and makes him miss at least four weeks of play.