I’ve always hated the saying, “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out”. It’s cheesy, lame and overused.

But, it’s a saying that is often associated when two rivals meet paths like the Rangers and Devils saw Monday night, except there really wasn’t a chance for the hockey game to get started. At least not right away.

Less than five seconds into the opening faceoff, the cross Hudson rivals participated in an all out brawl that will most certainly make Don Cherry proud. Everyone knew it was coming too. The crowd knew it, the players on the ice knew it, hell even the coaches John Tortorella Rangers and Devils coach Peter DeBoer were jawing back and fourth prior to the game.

Tortorella and DeBoer also made sure their lines to open the game were stacked with players who can drop the gloves…

  • Devils: Eric Boulton, Cam Janssen, Ryan Carter, Marek Zidlicky, Bryce Salvador
  • Rangers: Brandon Prust, Brandon Dubinsky, Stu Bickel, Mike Rupp, Marc Staal

In the end there was plenty of blood still on the ice, a hockey game yet to be played and plenty of penalty minutes to go around.

Ref: YouTube