Fighting: A Necessary Evil

Someone recently said to me that they didn’t like the fighting in hockey because it took away from the sportsmanship of the game. This is something that I have heard quite often, usually from people who don’t really follow hockey and seem to be regurgitating back something that they’ve heard from someone else. I consider it to be the go to line for people who don’t actually have anything to say on the matter, but insist on joining the conversation anyway. Comments like this drive me crazy because they reek of ignorance. I think it especially bothers me because these comments are usually delivered with an air of superiority, whether conscious to the speaker or not. It’s as if this person thinks that they are above such nonsense and anyone who doesn’t agree is simply a heathen.

Now, in giving people the benefit of the doubt, I can see why the hockey outsider or casual observer may think this. It may seem like in game where the purpose is to out skate, out shoot and out score your opponent there is really no reason why everyone needs to stop what they’re doing while two players pull each other’s jerseys and throw unwieldy punches until someone falls down. However, what I don’t think they understand is that, in reality, fights often bolster team sportsmanship.

There are two main reasons that I have noticed for hockey fights to occur. The first is in defense of a teammate and to this I say what could be more sportsmanlike than defending and protecting someone that you care about? To me, it goes back to basic survival skills. If you were to see someone picking on your friend at school or outside of a bar your first instinct would probably be to jump in and help them. It’s no different in hockey. If someone is deliberately trying to injure your teammate it’s only logical that you’re going to try to do something about it. It also shows your teammates that you are one of them and that they can depend on you when they need you. I’m sure the one who is fighting would expect the same thing in return from his colleagues. Who knows how many injuries may have been avoided because one opponent’s belligerent attitude towards another got nipped in the bud by a tussle with a teammate. I know that if I was out there I’d want to be with the person I knew I could count on to help me when it really came down to it and not the one who only cared about how many goals he could score.

The second main reason that I have noticed for hockey fights is to get the team going during a game that is less than their best. I don’t care what anyone says, I am a firm believer that Talbot’s infamous fight against Carcillo helped bring the Pens back, not only to life and an eventual victory, but also from the brink of elimination. The team was down, they needed a boost and, although Talbot clearly lost the fight, the Pens won the game. One can always stand to reason that without that fight Sid wouldn’t be hoisting that beloved cup a few short weeks later. A fight can be like a rallying cry to your teammates that it’s time to buckle down, step it up and make something happen. As with any other strategies, there are times when this works and there are times when it doesn’t. However, it’s usually worth a shot (pun intended). Sometimes, like when you’re team is down 10-0 there’s really nothing left to do than to let out some frustration and show that, regardless of what the score says, you’re not going to be intimidated. Even in that situation this is the team coming together and showing their support for one another.

Okay, in all honesty, I love a good hockey fight whether there’s a good reason for it or not. In one week alone we got to see Staal and Johnson both KO their opponents with a single shot and I thought it was awesome. I also know that I wasn’t the only one laughing and cheering when it happened either. The first Pens game I ever went to featured a nice fight involving Gary Roberts, to which the crowd started chanting his name in appreciation. Need I even bring up the most recent “game” against the Islanders? So, I’m pretty sure a lot of us enjoy a good brawl once in awhile.

Obviously, the down side is that people often get hurt. That’s unfortunate and no one likes to see it happen. But, in a sport like hockey injuries are inevitable. Staal and Letestu have both been sidelined this season from injuries that they sustained in practice, PRACTICE! So, needless to say, a hockey player never knows when or where the injury bug may bite them. These are all adults and they, hopefully, know what they’re doing and what they signed up for.

I am hoping that with this rant I am preaching to the choir rather than trying to change a stubborn mind. Therefore, if I haven’t told you anything you didn’t already believe then hopefully I at least gave you some good points to make when this discussion inevitably comes up again. It is our job to enlighten and inform the ignorant. As true hockey fans this is a battle that we must fight and, in order to be successful, we must do it together.