How to Fight in NHL 22

* Looking for our article on How to Fight in NHL24?

Chris has already spent ample time discussing how happy we are to be back, so just assume I feel the same way and lets get down to business. It’s important business, too. Because it involves hockey video games as a potential outlet for those of us bemoaning the way fighting in the NHL has changed, decreased, been bastardized by mixed martial arts moves or however the hell else you want to put it.

Alright, maybe it isn’t that important. And if last week’s real world games were any indication, the art form is far from dead, but I sure have had a lot of fun over the past few months since getting a PS5 and immediately downloading NHL 22. Possibly too much – as my personal hygiene has suffered, my new Boston Terrier puppy’s growth has been stunted from neglect/malnourishment, and I haven’t so much as spoken to a real human woman in at least 6 months. Relax, I’m only kidding. About the dog.

Look at my New Dog. Look at Him, Goddamn You!
Since I brought him up, it seems like a good time to introduce you to the newest member of the GoonBlog family. Meet Gooseberry (“Goose” for short) who recently turned one-year-old and is the friendliest and most social dog I’ve ever met, let alone owned. I’ll just have to post an update when he finally stops shitting in the kitchen.

After some of the high-strung Bostons I’ve had in the past (rest in power, Shep and Pixie), I was due for that luck of the draw I always hear people talking about. Well, this little dude is tha shiznit.

Hockey Video Games – I Likes Them
Where was I? Oh yes, a grown man on the wrong side of 40 talking about video games in public. NHL 22 is great fun, even though I’ve never even tried playing online because I know I’ll immediately get smoked by a 12-year old and fall into a deep depression. The “Be a Pro” mode is where it’s at for me. And what a career #41 has had so far!

Drafted to the Sabres, then traded to the Senators, and have now ended up a proud Boston Bruin going into my 4th season. I’ve led all three teams to a Stanley Cup victory and won the Conn Smythe – even though the only way I know how to score is via a lucky 3-hole slapshot from the right wing.

Probably sounds like I’m limiting myself as to the fun potential, and dating, but I assure you it’s been a blast. I love nothing more than when, in the middle of a very fast-paced game (it’s the new NHL after all), gloves get dropped and I’m suddenly facing off against… well, some of the names of my opponents may surprise you. But we’ll get to that.

There are 4 ways a fight can start in NHL 22:

1. Double-tap the triangle button and rub your glove in someone’s face. The game, like the modern league, is light on aggressive goons… so this rarely results in anything but an interference penalty, a tongue-lashing from your coach, and a reduction in your “teamwork” and “discipline” statistics.
2. Absolutely friggin’ nail one of the opposing team’s star players on the open ice or against the boards. If there’s anyone present with even the slightest amount of grit or a dash of the “fighting” metric, they’ll find you, and quickly. And it’s extremely likely your pursuer is gonna be a little light in the ass with no right to be fighting anyone – in either the digital or real world. This can lead to some very one-sided donnybrooks, of which I’ve recorded (nerd alert) and embedded several throughout the article for your viewing pleasure. These are my favorite kind of NHL 22 fights, and your coach and teammates will love them too. If you win, that line gets a boost of energy, too.
3. Make a late hit, or fire a puck at the goalie, after the whistle. You’ll often find yourself playing against artificial snowflakes who just cannot deal with that level of blatant disrespect, lose their goddamn minds, and come gunning for you. Your coach will not be impressed, and will likely let you know.
4. You step in for for someone else. Sometimes there will be a kerfuffle which initially doesn’t involve your player at all. In this situation, you’ll get a little popup asking if you want to step in, on your lesser teammate’s behalf, and accept the fight on offer. This will always work in your favor in terms of the “teamwork” metric and delight the coach.

Light in the Ass, Ref?
Sure, Cracknell has a few fights under his belt. But not many and not recently. Owen Tippett is a big Peterborough boy, but didn’t stand a chance against my pro either – who is my fully psychotic alter ego and was designed to be a killer as far back as day one with the game when I made a point of distributing his attribute points to violent categories.

Who cares about “skating”? Let’s crank that “fighting” skill up to the maximum level for a giggle. And even though Burlington, Ontario is like a second hometown to me, Shane Wright also had absolutely no business being on my dance card. So that’s what I meant earlier when eluding to the fact you may find yourself in the middle of some questionable matchups. Matchups that can end up as multi-game injuries.

Don’t Rub it in, Domi
In the clip below, you can see me striking a couple of unnecessary victory poses on my way to the box. There’s a few to choose from and you can really demonstrate your breathtaking maturity by pressing any one of the main buttons post-fight en route to the sin bin. Other fight-related controls include the ability to throw straight punches, hooks or helmet-displacing uppercuts. You can also dodge and grab on to your opponent’s jersey for a little extra leverage.

“The Fighting was Better in ’94“
Yeah, the fighting in EA’s NHL hockey game series hasn’t changed much since the last time I forked out for one of them a decade ago, but it sure remains a fun interlude. Come to think of it, I even have a video I recorded way back when NHL 2010 was hot off the presses. That was they year they introduced first-person fighting as an option, but I guess it didn’t catch on. Also, them graphics sure came a long way in the years since. I remember thinking “man, they’ll never top this” at the time. But watching the video back today after so long – it also sounds apparent I was just drunk enough to be thinking that.

Should I Buy NHL 23?
NHL 23 came out just a few weeks back. While I got excited for a brief moment, I realized it would be stupid not to read a few reviews first – as from year-to-year these editions usually don’t change much and it’s better to make it a twice-per-console-generation type of an investment to let the addition of new features and better graphics catch up. I’m glad I did, because all the opinions said 23 is extremely light on enhancements, and that the “Be a Pro” mode (again, my favorite… because I don’t have the patience to work on actually becoming a “good” player capable of competing online) is virtually identical to the previous year’s. Dah, well – I guess that nutty little psycho #41 has a few seasons left in him yet.

I really didn’t intend to spend an hour writing about hockey video games this evening, and I doubt there will be a line of ladies forming outside my front door as a result.

Should you still be awake, I hope there was some enjoyment to be gleaned from my mis-prioritized choice of topic, and I look forward to checking in with y’all again, real soon. Stay tuned for the upcoming list of “GoonBlog’s Favorite Goddamn Hockey Movies” which I’ve been fiddling with for a month now, and if you have any hockey video game thoughts of your own – please leave them in the comments.