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Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks

Hockey fight blog with humorous, blow-by-blow commentary on goons, enforcers and donnybrooks.

From Bad to Worse – Lucic’s Arrest


in Uncategorized

Chris recently pined for the fjords about how the hockey gods hate him/us. And initially I thought he was being a bit dramatic. But now I really, really think he may be on to something. To the extent I’ve been burning sage throughout my house all afternoon.

Specifically because 72 hours ago we both felt like we’ve had the potential enjoyment, for so many reasons, of Milan Lucic’s return to the Boston Bruins dangled in front of us like a cat toy. Only to be yanked away by that pesky ankle injury. But it can always get worse.

We gave it a test run to see if it plays, in the form of so many optimistic posts it admittedly got a bit too much. And now, like a crestfallen Delco Cat Toy Salesman, I’m not sure if we can move this product.

My Kingdom for a Cracked Pedal Navicularis

After this past weekend, the injury we’ve already discussed at length doesn’t seem quite so terrible. We could have worked with that. It would have resolved itself with a little time and rehab. It was malleable, socially acceptable, and in no way spelled the end of his season, career, or Beantown rebirth. But Looch, possibly tempted by a break he has no control over and couldn’t have seen coming – or perhaps bemoaning that same break, hence a dip-dive into the liquor – had the BPD at his door Saturday night.

As much as I’d love to give Milan the benefit of the doubt while focusing on words like “alleged”, due process isn’t exactly a requirement in our strange modern times. And that’s fine. So I’ll quickly recap some of the details from the Globe Acquired police report, and we’ll let the rest play out in court Tuesday morning under the gavel.

So here’s what allegedly went down, and we won’t dwell because you can read this absolutely everywhere today. Very early morning, November 18, the Boston Police get a call to Lucic’s apartment in Boston’s North End.

So early in fact, that Bova’s had probably stopped selling Buffalo Chicken Calzones by then. I lived 50 feet away on Cleveland Place for many years, so I’d appreciate being allowed a second to reminisce about all the times I rolled in there at 2:30am, only to walkout with nothing but a ricotta pie for the exact same reason.

“Now Youse Can’t Leave”

Back to the unfortunate details. There’d been some kind of domestic dust-up with his wife, Brittany. The police report pulls no punches – sounds like Lucic might have got downright physical with Brittany after an argument having to do with a cell phone. The smart money is always going to be on “texts from a puck bunny“, but we can only make educated guesses at this point.

Then it got handsy. Brittany told the cops she was trying to leave, but Milan wasn’t having any of it and yanked her back with a fistful of hair. “You’re not going anywhere!“, was her version. Take it easy, Sonny from A Bronx Tale. Not cool.

The police show up to find Looch juiced, with a broken lamp and glass scattered across the floor of their bedroom for punctuation. Officers also noticed a troubling red mark on Brittany’s chest, but she insists Milan didn’t wasn’t to blame, and he insisted “Nothing happened”. Right, bud.

The best/worse part? Their kids were hosting a sleepover. Once again – from bad to worse.

The Boston DA’s office took one look at the evidence and decided to press charges – fuckin’ Sox fans, the lot of them. And now we’re all waiting to see how this one plays out in court tomorrow morning.

Milan Lucic’s Future with the Boston Bruins

What does this mean? What are the consequences? I’ll start by referring you to the official statement from the team. It is equal parts “what you’d expect”, and “ominous subtext”. Unfortunately I think that management is as embarrassed at their faith in a Lucic return as Goonblog is right now. Not to mention putting hands on women. But what else might this incident result in?

  1. Tarnished legacy as a Bruin and in general.
  2. Has to enter the NHLPA Substance abuse program, whether he needs it or not.
  3. If that doesn’t happen, he’ll probably be given his release from the Bruins.
  4. He’s probably done for the year, regardless, and possibly – forever.

Speaking of ominous harbingers? Chris was at Saturday night’s game in Boston, and had this to say about the whole fuckwittery when asked:

“No Lucic gear available for sale Saturday at the game. Only like 7 Lucic jerseys spotted in the crowd. Freddy Fisticuffs cored two goals.”

My only op-ed would be: “It was a nice thought”. It seems like Chris may have gotten over it pretty quickly, too. So I will take his lead, and we’ll all get through this together.

And I really, really wanted to fight him in NHL 24.

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The Long, Long Lucic Recovery Road


in Milan Lucic, Chris Nilan, Ryan Reaves, Sean Avery

I’m not really sure why the universe hates me, but clearly, it does. Maybe I’m being a little dramatic, because there are some very positive things in my life. Maybe it’s just the hockey gods who hate me? Or at least don’t like my face?  What has got me thinking this way are two recent developments around our beloved Boston Bruins.

When Ryan Reaves signed in Toronto this offseason, everyone had November 2nd circled on their calendars. It marked the first time the Leafs were coming into Boston, and the excitement was palpable. The Ref was even talking about making a long awaited return to the Garden. As Mrs. Francine Dunlop remarked in Slapshot, “It’s been a long time since this building has seen my shadow“, and the same can be said for the (often fairweather) Ref. We were excited at the potential for Milan Lucic and Reaves having an old school Thursday night throwdown at center ice for all to see!

As it turns out, the universe had another idea. Lucic took a puck off the foot in early October and would not be in the lineup when Reaves and the Leafs arrived. Not a huge deal, right? We can probably be treated to Ryan Reaves acting a fool and running around all night, right? RIGHT?! Nope. Instead, we got a decent hockey game, with zero antics, and just a lot of tough talk from Reaves with the old, why I oughta….let me at em… bullshit.

Reaving Something to Be Desired

Ryan Reaves got called out post-game by John Scott, Sean Avery, and Chris Nilan (just to mention a few) for his lack of response to what many thought was a dirty play by Brad Marchand against Timothy Liljegren as they were battling for a 50/50 puck. We at Goonblog already mentioned Ryan tends to be a non-factor, and I am glad I didn’t pay the excessive price (to quote Wayne Campbell, a “gun ticket” price) to get into the Garden to witness that lackluster affair.

With Lucic out, and the Leafs game a bit of a bust as a result, my attention turned to the upcoming tilt against the Montreal Canadiens on November 18th. It was looking like it would be Milan’s triumphant return, Part Deux, as he’ would’d be off Long Term IR and ready to roll. After watching last Saturday’s loss in Montreal, where both sides were getting a bit testy with one another, and Goonblog favorite Arber Xhekaj looking like he wanted to fight – this Saturday’s game was primed to be a doozy.

Big Bad Bruins… and Tuna

Did I mention I am going to be in the building Saturday? As part of the Bruins Centennial Season, they’re doing Eras Nights. Not to be outdone by Taylor Swift, the Bruins will be celebrating periods of time in their history. How fitting then is this Saturday’s Era of the Big Bad Bruins? Montreal coming to town off a contentious game last Saturday. Milan Lucic potentially making his return from LTIR. Goonblog in attendance. It’s a match better than lamb and tuna fish!

Well, the hockey gods hate my face, remember. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery has given a less than promising update on Lucic’s return. Apparently Milan is about a week behind on rehab, so will definitely not be playing this Saturday against the Habs.

Back in the day when the Bruins and Montreal really hated each other, they played 8 times a year. These days, they don’t play as often, meaning we have to wait until January 20th to see if Lucic and Xhekaj will tangle. Knowing the hockey gods disdain for me, I am not holding my breath.

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Give Your Nuts a Tug, Bud


in Ryan Reaves, Trent Frederic

Remember a few years ago when Mike Rupp called Jody Shelley irrelevant? It was during the HBO Series Road to the Winter Classic, and it’s still the meanest chirp I have ever heard. Watching the Bruins and Leafs last night, it’s exactly how I felt about Maple Leaf tough guy Ryan Reaves.

Are You Gonna Chirp All Day, Little Birdy?

I don’t remember at what point it was during the game because, outside of Emily Kaplan interviewing him on the bench, Reavo was pretty much invisible. Reaves mentioned to Kaplan that he was there to “make guys feel taller” and acknowledged he hadn’t played very well as of late. Anyway, at some point during the game, ESPN announcer Steve Levy mentioned a lot of fans were looking for a Milan Lucic and Ryan Reaves throwdown – and how some might be disappointed it didn’t happen.

Count me among the disappointed. After the Bruins went up 2-0, I remarked to myself how it was time for Reaves to start running around. Sure enough, next shift, there’s Reavo. There was a bit of a scrum after the whistle and Reaves was right in the middle. It wasn’t anything crazy. Typical run of the mill after the whistle pleasantries. Feeling vindicated, I said “See! I told you” To myself. After that, there was nothing.

Every Irrelevance

Am I calling Ryan Reaves irrelevant? Absolutely not. He definitely serves a purpose – if someone wants to fight. Did I expect him to run around like an animal last night knowing full well there was no Milan Lucic to keep him in check? You bet I did. I guess in his defense, he knows his role, and without any legitimate dance partner he doesn’t have to play it, but I am truly surprised he didn’t do something that would force Trent Frederic into the role of tough guy for the night.

I was reading something on Sportsnet or TSN…. one of the Canadian pages I follow on Instagram… about the Leafs and a lack of jam in general. They were basically saying with all the hype around the Maple Leafs this season, things haven’t really changed.

Shorsey

There’s no grit to the lineup, and it’s the same guys doing skilled player things all the time. The pundits were pontificating the Leafs would suffer the same fate this season as the versions before them since 1967. Is Reaves irrelevant? No. Did he miss an opportunity to stir the pot and potentially get the Bruins off their game? In my opinion, hell yes. Where was Shorsey when we needed him?

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What’s the Definition of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick?


in Gordie Howe, Jack McBain, Jarred Tinordi, Liam O'Brien, Milan Lucic

Gordie Howe Hat Trick Definition:

  • One Goal.
  • One Assist.
  • One Fight.
  • …in the same game.

History of the Gordie Howe Hat Trick

Long before the era of helmets, mouthguards and health insurance – in the wild, wild west of heralded hockey history – a player named Gordie Howe was busy writing his own tattered and (assumedly) blood-soaked book of rules.

Legend has it, he was such a fierce competitor that he (inadvertently) invented his own version of a hat trick – a goal, an assist, and a fight in the same game. The “Gordie Howe Hat Trick“, as it came to be known, resonated with the rough and tumble culture of the sport and has survived as a concept for the last 50 years.

In an amusing twist, despite his name being etched in folklore for this unique achievement, Gordie himself only accomplished this feat twice in his illustrious career. While his competitors were busy getting their teeth knocked out trying to emulate his style of play, G-Diddy was probably chuckling to himself on the bench, wondering why everyone was getting so worked up about a feat he rarely even performed.

Fast forward to the present day, and the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” still brings a grin to the faces of hockey fans. Every time a player scores a goal, dishes out an assist, and drops the gloves for a brawl – there’s a ripple of mirth that goes through the crowd, as they remember the man who started this unofficial tradition. Because in a sport riddled with lost teeth and broken noses, who said you can’t have a little fun? And I’m sure he appreciated the reference.

Who Has the Most Gordie Howe Hat Tricks?

For those uninitiated, new to hockey, or fighting, or maybe Planet Earth in general, and one more time for the cheap seats: a Gordie Howe Hat Trick is when a player scores a goal, an assist, and has a fight in the same game.

Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, on a fishing trip.

As mentioned, it’s a bit odd that Gordie Howe himself only had 2 GHHTs in his whole career, but I think the namesake is more of an homage to his overall badassery. I once heard someone say that a more appropriate GHHT would be a goal, an assist, and an elbow. As he was known to throw elbows around to absolutely anyone who wanted one. Or was just in the general vicinity. Or conscious.

GHHT Leaders: Active and All-Time

The all-time leader in Gordie Howe Hat Tricks is current Canucks head coach, Rick Tocchet, with 18. The active leader is none other than Boston Bruin legend Milan Lucic with 3.

I remember his first like it was yesterday. Because it also happened to be his his first career goal, his first career assist, and his first fight (in LA against Raitis Ivanans while still wearing number 62). That’s pretty amazing. Lucic credits the game, and more specifically his actions in the game, as the reason he stuck in Boston and was soon spotted wearing the now familiar 17 we know and love him in.

Why all the talk about Gordie Howe Hat Tricks? Well, last night in Arizona, two players on the same team recorded the feat. In the same game. Whaaaaaaat?

But that’s just two players out of a long history which has seen many examples of this awesome phenomenon. Let’s go broader.

Top 30 NHL Players With Most Gordie Howe Hat Tricks – List

  1. Rick Tocchet – 18 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  2. Brendan Shanahan – 17 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  3. Brian Sutter – 12 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  4. Cam Neely – 10 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  5. Bob Probert – 9 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  6. Gordie Howe – 9 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  7. Kevin Stevens – 8 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  8. Jarome Iginla – 8 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  9. Paul Kariya – 8 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  10. Milan Lucic – 6 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  11. Teemu Selanne – 6 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  12. Brad Marchand – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  13. Pat Verbeek – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  14. Wayne Gretzky – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  15. Eric Lindros – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  16. Joe Sakic – 5 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  17. Ilya Kovalchuk – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  18. Martin St. Louis – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  19. Jaromir Jagr – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  20. Rick Nash – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  21. Mario Lemieux – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  22. Keith Tkachuk – 4 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  23. Ryan Getzlaf – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  24. Pavel Datsyuk – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  25. Bobby Orr – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  26. Scott Stevens – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  27. Chris Pronger – 3 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  28. Zdeno Chara – 2 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  29. Rob Blake – 2 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks
  30. Drew Doughty – 2 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks

Liam O’Brien vs. Uncle Nick Foligno

The first was Liam O’Brien. He mixed it up with former Bruin favorite, Uncle Nick, Nick Foligno Foligno – acquired by Chicago so the Blackhawks would have someone to protect Connor Bedard. It also looked like the Bruins were all-in on Tyler Bertuzzi during the offseason as Foligno and Taylor Hall were shipped to Chicago. Well, that didn’t happen.

After the Blackhawks went down 3-1 with 4 minutes left in the first, Nick Foligno and Liam O’Brien mixed it up on the ensuing faceoff. I’m not sure why Foligno seems caught off guard by O’Brien, but he clearly was asleep at the switch when this bout began. Nick looks like he wants his dental plan activated as O’Brien lands two hard ones before Foligno seemingly is even aware a fight is happening.

This scrap then turns into one of the the more typical examples we see today, with O’Brien trying to put the arm bar to Foligno. Uncle Nick tries to break said bar while delivering several punches to O’Brien’s already bruised face. Despite his slow stat, I have to score this as a solid win for Nick.

Jarred Tinordi vs. Jack McBain

The hits keep coming with one minute left in the second period. The Blackhawks, trailing 7-1, are feeling the frustration and another former Bruin, Jarred Tinordi, has had enough. Arizona’s Jack McBain is jamming away at the Blackhawks goaltender before a whistle and the two wind up behind the net.

Tinordi asks McBain to go, and McBain obliges. Again, we see a classic fight of today’s style with both guys trying to tie each other up whilst throwing some bombs that mostly miss. Each guy does manage to score a couple of points by landing a shot – with Tinordi landing a big bomb at the end of the fight to earn a win.

“Utah, Get Me Two. Gordie Howe Hat Tricks”

Arizona went on to win the game 8-1. McBain finished the night as the second star with 2 goals, 2 assists and a fight. Liam O’Brien had the more traditional 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 fight line to go with his already bruised face. Two GHHTs in the same game. I was more excited than Detective Angelo Pappas getting his hands around two meatball sandwiches.

Great to see this kind of action, this early in the season. There’s nothing more pathetic than a team getting smoked 8-1 and there’s no emotion (or fights) at all. It’s just boring to me.

I always wondered how Mr. Hockey felt about having a feat such as the Gordie Howe Hat Trick named after him. I hazard to guess that – if it made for good hockey – he’d be all for it.

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More Great Milan Lucic Foot Injury News


in Milan Lucic

Can you sense our sarcasm? Cause we be layin’ it on pretty thick.

After breaking down Milan’s recent injury on Goonblog.com only yesterday, when his return to form was estimated at just 2 weeks, the Bruins have now reported he’s been sidelined and listed on LTIR, meaning he will be unavailable for at least 24 days and 10 games.

Milan Lucic scores a goal. Courtesty of https://www.enterprisenews.com/

What else does that classification mean? Well, since technically he has a longer-term and less reliable return date as of this morning, his salary comes off the cap. Not good. That said, a third-party source points out he may be able to return as soon as November 18th against Montreal.

Total Recalls

In response, they’ve called up center Oskar Steen as a replacement. The Bruins’ other recent recalls, which have since been revoked, brought them within an approximate margin of $82K under the cap ceiling. The difference between this and Lucic’s $1MM cap hit is the LTIR room they managed to create.

And Steen, a dynamic forward, will bring a strong offensive presence to the team. His speed on the ice and precision with the puck should increase the Bruins’ scoring potential, and his tenacious style of play can disrupt opposing defenses.

Although they couldn’t afford to recall two players, this move does afford them some flexibility in terms of who else they could feasibly rotate up in the near future.

Lucic Injury Recap & Details

Again, Milan Lucic’s absence is due to a lower-body injury (slapshot to the foot) that was initially thought to keep him out only for a couple weeks. As disappointed as we are, however, this extended timeline may work in Boston’s favor, as it allows for Steen’s integration into the roster.

Twitter users were quick to point out both Lucic’s history of durability and how difficult it can be to recover from the type of injury (cracked pedal navicularis) which many assume is the issue.

Lucic, 35 years old and in his first comeback season with the Bruins, had a promising start with two assists and eight hits in his first four games prior to his injury. Here’s hoping we see him back in fine form on November 18th vs. Montreal. What a pain it the… foot.

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Milan’s Maddening Misadventure


in Milan Lucic, Ryan Reaves

During a season that would have made a wounded turtle look spry, Lucic only managed 7 goals, 12 assists, and 19 points from 77 games with the Calgary Flames in 2022-23. But this year he’s been off to a better than decent start, and who’s counting? (We all are, Milan. We all are.) So this recent slapshot to the friggin’ tootsie, when everything was going so well, is just a goddamned insult to injury.

Milan Lucic Boston Bruins injury.

Well, if we want to get technical, it’s an… “injury to injury“? I’ll have to check my style guide and get back to this fascinating piece of wordplay. But I can tell you now for nothing – that I’m extremely disappointed, Jakub Lauko (and his eye) is probably also disappointed that Jesper Boqvist has been summoned up from Providence. Everybody is disappointed. Except Jesper.

But, please, do not misunderstand me in the meantime – Goonblog.com is 100% pro-Milan Lucic, and every one of us is thrilled he’s back in Boston. I was planning to drive down to Beantown for the 11/2 game against Toronto in hopes he’d be squaring off with Ryan Reaves. But I hadn’t gotten tickets yet, and now that the big boy is out for at least 2 weeks I’m far less interested in making the trip. As much as I love getting shit-hammered at The Harp, I have my priorities and am perfectly capable of getting shit-hammered in Vermont, thank you very much.

Milan Lucic’s Injury – How? Why? WHY NOW?!

Journey back with me that fateful Saturday night joust against the Los Angeles Kings. Lucic, still pretty froggy for a 35-year-old, channeled his inner superhero when leaping in front of a speeding puck. In the process, he sustained an injury that was somewhat less heroic and more, well, excruciatingly painful. Nevertheless, like an unstoppable force happy to be back in the gold and black, he played on, notching an assist in his 12 minutes and 15 seconds on the ice before the Bruins clinched the victory with a 4-2 tally.

So far, the aftermath has seen him benched for subsequent games against the Ducks and the Blackhawks. And Montgomery has confirmed the grim prognosis – that Lucic is on the injured list for a while. At least 2 weeks as of the last update.

Before the catastrophe, Lucic had been coasting with a not-too-shabby two assists across four games. He was clocking a 0.5 point per game pace, something he hasn’t achieved since the Paleozoic era (or the 2016-17 season for the non-history buffs). Mind you, this is a smaller sample size than the number of people who actually enjoy listening to New Kids on the Block, but many of us were excited. Many of us feel like they’ve just had the return of old time hockey rug pulled right out from under them. And, true story, I was once mistaken for Jordan Knight by a landscaper my parents hired.

Many hockey fans feel, at this stage of his rough-and-tumble career, that Milan Lucic deserves everything he gets. And those hockey fans can fuck right off. We wish you a speedy recovery, bud, and look forward to watching you knock heads for a few years yet to come.

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Centennial Bruins Kowlooning


in Boston Bruins Centennial

For those not in the know, the beloved Boston Bruins are celebrating their Centennial Season this year. They’ve unveiled Centennial jerseys, Centennial this, Centennial that. It’s like the marketing scene in Spaceballs. As part of the celebration, they’ve been doing what they call Centennial Stories.

It’s not a clever name. It’s legendary stories about the Bruins of yore, they’ve been pretty interesting, and why didn’t anybody tell me my ass was so big?


This week’s installment is about how much the Bruins love the Kowloon. A massive Chinese restaurant, the Kowloon is located on the fabled Rt. 1 in Saugus, Massachusetts and hasn’t updated their website since about 2003. But that doesn’t change the fact they have a staff photo with Pat Morita in the gallery.

The Many Saints of Saugus

If you’ve ever been on the road, you know it. It’s across the street from the defunct Hilltop Steakhouse, and right down the street from arguably the biggest dump (I say that with love) in hockey history – Hockeytown USA. Famous for the weird lighting and the dek hockey upstairs. It was not uncommon to be playing ice hockey on one of the rinks and have a dek ball suddenly careen onto the surface. Often ending in family fisticuffs because, you know… Saugus.

Back in the 60’ through the 80’s, most of the Bruins lived on the North Shore. They practiced in Danvers, so it made sense to live near the facility. After games, they would stop into the Kowloon for a couple of drinks and a many pounds of Saugus Wings. Could you imagine walking into the Kowloon to find the Lunchpail A.C. holding court? My word. If I could go back in time, I’d drop in after a win at the Garden just to behold that level of mayhem and majesty.

So, as this week’s story goes, bunch of the Bruins Alumni got together at the Kowloon during the opening week for the Bruins. I’m sure it got very nostalgic in there as the greats shared a few Fog Cutters and stories about the old days! It got me thinking about where I would gather after games when I could still see my feet and played beer league at least once a week.

To this very day, the people of Boston love the Kowloon. They definitely don’t need to get more reviews, as their Google Business profile currently shows 5,755 of them with an average rating of 4.2 stars. That is some chicky-chicky wing love right there, folks.

What’d You Just Say About My Sister?

Anyone that has ever played men’s league knows the beers after are almost as important as the game itself. I have never played for a team that wasn’t a drinking team with a hockey problem. Depending on the hour, or the day, some guys would even hoist a couple before the game, and many more after in the room. Each week, it is someone’s responsibility to bring the beer. If you don’t, it’s very, very bad. You subject yourself to much deserved taunts and boos in which no topic is off limits. We’re talking, mothers and sisters are on the table – figuratively and within the actual insults. Don’t be that guy.

I would usually get the top half off, skates untied, pants and shin guards still on, before drinking my first one in the stall. I hazard to guess the “first sip after a game” sip is the finest sip of beer in the known civilized world. The smell of barley and hops, mixed with smelly hockey equipment, is intoxicating in itself. The ball busting about how bad everyone was at hockey then began, and it was always glorious.

After a quick shower, and particularly if it was still Summer, you make it to the parking lot beer. The last fight I ever got in in men’s league, I remember the parking lot beverage very well. “Fight” isn’t the best word to describe that particular incident. I got my head kicked in by a local legend that was heading to NHL camp the next day. But we shared a beer in the parking lot afterward, and all was right with the world.

Sometimes after the parking lot beer, and depending on how old you are and what time it is, it may then be time for the bar. The Bruins had the Kowloon, and we had the Makaha or the China Ruby. This was always an ill-advised move and t’was highly recommended there be a non-drinker with you. The tales of the game most recently played get exaggerated like a great one that got away fish story. Also, the PuPu Platter is always a regret the next morning when it’s time to answer the hellish bell that was rung the night before.

The underlying theme for all these post game libations – is the camaraderie. I’m sure everyone that played team sports will say there’s no tighter room than an [insert your sport here] room. For me, it’s hockey. In between all the BS and tall tales. talk of kids, wives, girlfriends, and whatever else is on your mind. I have had more life problems solved by guys on my men’s league team than I can count.

So we can only imagine what the backroom of the Kowloon was like after a win. Or after a loss? Or maybe a loss on part of a losing streak? It’s one thing to be at the Makaha and be thinking about cutting the grass tomorrow. It’s entirely another when playing hockey is your livelihood.

So here’s a toast to all those guys out there, getting off work tonight and heading to the local rink for an 11 O’clock tilly against some plumbers. Done purely for the love of the game. And thanks to the Bruins for sharing a bit of their colorful Route 1 history as well. Cheers to you, boys!

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Freddy’s Not Dead: The New Nightmare


in Trent Frederic, Andreas Englund

Last night, after returning from my 30th High School reunion, I was eager to watch the Bruins. I don’t know if seeing all those old friends had me feeling nostalgic alone, or if I’m actually really onto something about the fighting I’ve seen this year having an old school flavor, or what is going on (“sniff”) – but Trent Frederic gave us another old timey tilt last night at the Crypto in LA. There’s a couple housecleaning items before we get to the fight. Stay with me on this.

I’m all about nicknames, as most hockey guys are. The Bruins are calling Trent Frederic “Freddy Fisticuffs” and I can get behind that. Nightmare on Causeway St was cute, but a bit long. How about this, Freddy Fisticuffs is giving guys Nightmares on Causeway St.? No? A Nightmare on Causeway Street 4: Freddy’s Not Dead? Er… we shall work on it.

The F*cking State of Jack Edwards

NESN has got to do something about Jack Edwards. Love him or hate him, what’s going on with him currently goes way beyond his usually polarizing antics. Something is off with the man, and I have been saying it for almost three seasons now. I think he had some classification of head injury, or a stroke or something. Whatever the shift, it can’t be disguised any more, and it’s bordering on cruel they keep trotting him out.

If you haven’t noticed what I am talking about, listen closely to what he says in the video below. After Morgan Geekie (whom he regularly calls “Creaky”) scores, they show former LA King (and once-again Bruin) again, Milan Lucic. Jack says very slowly and slightly slurred, as is his speech pattern these days, “Lucic, rotting on Pavel Zacha’s left”. He meant to say “riding” but said “rotting”. Doesn’t seem like much. A simple slip of the tongue. If you’ve been paying attention, however, it now happens all the time. I never was a huge Jack guy, and it may be time for him to go. Seriously, NESN. It’s not a good look.

Trent Frederic vs. Andreas Englund

Onto the fight itself. As you can see from the video above, there’s zero technique here. No grappling of any kind. Arm bar to get some separation and try and land one? No sir. This here is two guys standing in, and quickly throwing dueling haymakers. Trent Fredric gets an early advantage on Andreas Englund and doesn’t let up until he gets the jersey over Englund’s head and the stripes come in to stop the onslaught. Despite the dominant win for Freddy here, Englund did manage a couple punches, one of which cuts Frederic. Again, clear win for Freddy in what may be a resurgence in the old school fight style.

The Boston Bruins, like most major league teams have a good social media presence. They also have a weekly show called Behind the B. If you haven’t seen it, there’s cameras and mics everywhere following these guys around. It just so happens that Freddy Fisticuffs was mic’d up last night. It was new school technology meets old school rough and rugged at the Crypto!

On the Bruins broadcast, Andy Brickley remarks that he didn’t see what started the fight between Trent Frederic and Andreas Englund. Truthfully, I didn’t either. What Behind the B did, with their excellent camera work, and microphone on Freddy, was capture the whole thing at a transparent depth rarely seen any more. This is about as old school as it gets. Watch and listen here.

After the Bruins went up 2-1 on a Morgan Geekie goal, it appears LA’s Andreas Englund would like to try and swing the momentum back to his club. I didn’t hear him ask Frederic for the fight, but I am assuming since Freddy is emphatically saying “I’ll go ya” that before they line up for the draw, Englund must have asked for it.

Bettman’s Big Gulp

This is the kind of staged fight that makes Gary Bettman squirm like a guy that just took down a Big Gulp of Mtn Dew and is stuck riding middle on a 3-hour car ride. The NHL loathes these kinds of fights, and if they could figure out a way to get rid of them, they absolutely would. So, it’s an old school way of starting a fight, and then an old school fight.

I love these kinds of scraps. Englund recognizes the Kings need a momentum change, and Trent Frederic is more than happy to oblige. The time was right. The score was right. I even think there’s a song about Saturday night being alright for fighting. Where these types of things backfire, is when one asks for it, and then the aggressor loses. Badly. A for effort though, Englund.

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Wait, we’re not talking about Robert Englund, right? I know I didn’t drink at the reunion. All this talk of nightmares and Freddy and streets and I’m starting to feel a bit like a dream warrior over here.

OK, phew. Trent Frederic then makes a point to skate by his bench on his way to the box to fire up the boys even further. Andreas Englund, and the rest of the team in black and white, must have thought, “We’re in trouble tonight now that Freddy has lowered the boom”. And they weren’t even asleep yet.

So – It seems the theme for 2023-2024 so far is Old Time Hockey is back! Keep being the “Nightmare on Causeway St”, Freddy Fisticuffs. And we’ll keep working on tightening up a rebranding.

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Knuckles and New Nicknames


in Eric Boulton, Florian Xhekaj, OHL, Sawyer Boulton

I was in New York all week for business, and had intended to write something on the train home. Well, I didn’t. I watched the almighty movie Goon instead (it had been a long time – what a straight classic). Then people started emailing me and stuff, so I had to like, do my job. I found it incredibly rude, to be honest.

So here I am on a rainy Saturday going back over some fights from the week and thinking about the definitive list of hockey movies that The Ref owes us. He’s been working on this list since before Guns ‘N Roses started Chinese Democracy. He’s been working on this list since before movies were called “talkies”. He’s been working on this list for a long time, is the point. Anyway, he probably gets the message, so back to my prolific contributions instead: while looking at the week’s fights, I’m beginning to notice a trend.

If we aren’t careful, this page is going to wind up being a Xhekaj brothers fan page. A ways below we have Florian “Flo Rida” Xhekaj of the Brantford Bulldogs slugging it out with Sawyer Boulton of the London Knights. Florian, you may remember, was the subject of last week’s post regarding a brawl at the end of the Brantford and Peterborough game. He is also in need of a nickname, so I’m giving Flo Rida a try. But first, let’s talk about Boulton the younger.

Son of Boulton

If you’re seeing the name Boulton and wondering if Sawyer is the son of Goonblog favorite Eric Boulton like I was, well you’d be correct. The newly signed Sawyer joined brother Ryder on the London Knights roster on October 12th and 6 days later he’s looking to make his mark.

Sawyer Boulton appears to be a chip off the old block. Just look at the kid’s knuckles while signing his contract the other day in this photo from CHL.ca. He started the season with the Rochester Jr. Americans and in 10 games with the club racked up 49 PIMS. He’s played 4 games with London, and already has 7 PIMS. In 30 games in the NAHL last season he had 110 PIM in 30 games. He’s weighing in at 6 feet and 209 pounds. I guess what I’m trying to say is: it probably isn’t a good idea to make this kid angry.

Back to the scrap in question. Boulton and Xhekaj get together at the end of the first. Florian, the younger brother of Arber “WiFi” Xhekaj and property of Montreal, stands at 6’2” and weighs 174 pounds. He’s got a slight disadvantage in weight, while maintaining a slight height skew. All in all, these guys are evenly matched.

Sawyer Boulton vs. Florian Xhekaj

These two are jawing at one another from the conclusion of the previous play all the way up to the next faceoff. I’m not sure what was being said, but it probably has something to do with, “we’re gonna go” and so forth and whatnot. The color commentator initially seems upset they aren’t going to fight. So I have to question whether he was really watching these two chirp or adjusting his fly. Because it was pretty obvious to everyone else what was about to happen.

When the puck drops, Flo Rida gets the early advantage on Boulton, landing two really hard right hands. Boulton comes right back with some heavy rights of his own, and then it’s rock em sock em time. Both trade rights, and Sawyer Boulton scores a hard uppercut in there as well. It looks like Boulton uses the aforementioned weight advantage to get Xhekaj off balance, then gives him a couple to the license plate while off balance.

Eventually the linesmen separate the two, and the jawing continues. A lot of times when there’s a big tilt like this, the boys will have legitimate pleasantries for each other. “Hey, thanks for the fight,” or “Good scrap, buddy” – you know, respect among warriors. Not these two. They seem to be quite furious with each other. I don’t know if there’s a back story, but you can bet we’ll be keeping tabs on it.

I’ve been noticing in these early season fights that there seems to be a lot less technique, and a return to the all fists blazing days of yore. I am personally all for it, because we at Goonblog love seeing guys stand in there old time while giving and getting punches. The grappling technique, while interesting in a technical sense, is all about catching a guy exposed. The rock em sock em is more who can outlast the other guy in terms of brutality absorption. There is definitely an art to both. Rock em sock em may seem like it’s two guys just chucking fists at one another, but you will see guys, that can go with both arms, change from dominant hand to the other mid fight in an effort to come in at another angle. Or, in this case, Boulton uses his weight advantage to slow down the proceedings to try and get an advantage. Whatever they’re doing, I like this return to the old school approach, and hope to see more of it!

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Fighting in NHL 24


in Hockey Video Games

Ejection After a Boarding Penalty Fight – Update 10/25/23

“Yeah, you don’ do dat”.

I’m one of those guys who figured out, way back in the 90s and due to the luxury of it being a brand new franchise, that it’s not always wise to buy EA’s latest NHL game every year. And it’s hardly an insightful statement at this stage of the figurehead game’s history. There are as of yet undiscovered tribes in the heart of the Peruvian jungle who’d tell you to “catch the next one“.

Between the 92 and 97 versions though, gameplay always changed pretty radically – making it easy to justify the impulse buy. In the years which followed, however, sometimes the updates were minimal, underwhelming and left you feeling a bit ripped off. Or just stupid for getting over-excited, not listening to your inner Don Cherry, or resisting the wiser decision to let the clock run out for an additional 12 months.

Evolution of Hockey Fights in EA NHL Games

Along the way there were exceptions to the rule. Like the short-lived first-person fighting in NHL 2010 -2012 that saw many fans of the fists upgrading sooner than they may have otherwise. But for the most part it’s always wise to read the reviews before purchasing the latest version, see what (if anything) has changed outside of some graphical tweaks exciting to no one outside of the developers, and more often than not I end up skipping a year (or three) in-between. This time around, I gave 23 a pass and have gone from 22-24.

What Has Changed in NHL 24?

Since this is Goonblog, I’ll keep the detailed change descriptions to a minimum. You can read about them in excruciating detail in a thousand other places, and we want to get to the fighting in NHL 24 component as quickly as possible. But, simply put…

The graphics have undergone a significant upgrade. The first thing that struck me was the ice – so realistic and almost beautiful on its own. Players now resemble their real-life counterparts more closely than ever before (they say that every year), and animations are smoother compared to NHL 23 (and definitely 22), offering a more immersive and realistic experience.

While, after about 20 games in Be A Pro mode, I have yet to send an opponent through the glass, apparently that’s now a thing. But NHL 24 definitely has a more sophisticated physics engine, providing a more authentic representation of on-ice actions and especially collisions. It’s early days for me, but I think it may actually be easier to land a solid hit in general.

The most noteworthy changes, regardless of your preferred single or multiplayer mode, are the introduction of brand new Exhaust Engine, Sustained Pressure (reviled upon initial release but since improved) and Goalie Fatigue features. Following the links will learn ya more, and now let’s get on to the fightin’.

How to Fight in NHL 24 – Anything New?

In terms of the basic controls, animations and “feel”? Fuck all. The instigation, grab, duck and punch inputs are all identical to 22/23. If pressed, I’d have to say the brawl-specific graphics are slightly improved – but this obviously isn’t a facet EA has done much to improve over the last 24 months. See my previous article about fighting in NHL 22 for all of those basic instructions, videos, and a cute picture of my dog. But hang back for a second – there is one new(ish) element worth pointing out.

Sticking Up for Your Teammates

I’m not sure if this is a recent update, or something that happened between 22 and 23, but there’s now a greater focus on sticking up for weaker teammates/stars who have gotten into trouble elsewhere on the ice. As opposed to the previous emphasis on just taking care of business you’re solely responsible for. This changes a lot.

It’s not altogether a new thing, and just a personal observation at this early stage, but without any official supporting details (or confirmation from the NHL 24 community at large) the range from which the toughest player on your team can be called in from afar to drop gloves seems to have been doubled. Am I imagining this?

It’s not a perfect feature yet – sometimes your player will be so far away from the initial fracas that by the time you figure out what’s going on the “Accept Fight” prompt will have already disappeared.

If, however, you clue in and decide it’s time to remind the opposing team you’re there to help them fuck around and find out at a more macro level, you’ll skate straight over to the offending mismatched pairing with glee, stripping off your gloves along the way.

As clunky as it can be 13 days after the game’s official release, I have grown to really love this new angle. Initially, I wasn’t paying enough attention after the whistle in the example below, but eventually smartened up and made it over to ground zero just in time to knock 7 bells of shite out of Sean Durzi for interfering with Taylor Hall.

Increased Aggression Accountability

And the reverse is also true. Here we see Josh Brown getting an upset over my BAP player. Only after I kinda/sorta asked for it via a quick post-faceoff naughtiness upon Clayton Keller. Josh found me from afar – and made me regret a lazy decision. #consequences

You will get to drop more teammate-defending hammers, and you will also find yourself having to answer for more personal mischief, from nearby bangers, than in versions past.

Top 20 Best Fighters in NHL 2024

Based on fighting skill, aggression, and overall asshole statistics – here are the top 20 most formidable potential opponents in NHL 2024:

  1. Ryan Reaves from Toronto Maple Leafs, leading the pack with an impressive FS rating of 94.
  2. Nicolas Deslauriers of the Philadelphia Flyers, standing strong with a FS rating of 92.
  3. Milan Lucic of Boston Bruins, a crowd favorite, boasts a FS rating of 90.
  4. Tanner Jeannot from Tampa Bay Lightning, holding a respectable FS rating of 88.
  5. Nikita Zadorov of the Calgary Flames, rounds out the top five with a FS rating of 87.
  6. Tom Wilson from Washington Capitals, with a FS rating of 85.
  7. Kyle Clifford of St. Louis Blues, demonstrating his fighting skills with a FS rating of 84.
  8. Wayne Simmonds of Toronto Maple Leafs, holding his own with a FS rating of 83.
  9. Zac Rinaldo from Calgary Flames, not far behind with a FS rating of 82.
  10. Luke Witkowski of Detroit Red Wings, rounding out the top ten with a FS rating of 80.
  11. Adam Lowry from Winnipeg Jets, showcasing his fight skills with a FS rating of 78.
  12. Brett Ritchie of Calgary Flames, who comes in at 77 FS rating.
  13. Nick Foligno from Boston Bruins, with a FS rating of 76.
  14. Pat Maroon of Tampa Bay Lightning, showing his prowess with a FS rating of 75.
  15. Brandon Tanev from Seattle Kraken, at a FS rating of 74.
  16. Austin Watson from Ottawa Senators, who lands at a FS rating of 73.
  17. Josh Anderson of Montreal Canadiens, following closely with a FS rating of 72.
  18. Patrick Hornqvist from Florida Panthers, holds a FS rating of 71.
  19. Chris Kreider of New York Rangers, who boasts a FS rating of 70.
  20. Jamie Benn from Dallas Stars, rounding out the top 20 with a FS rating of 69.

Did I imagine these tweaks? Have your early personal experiences with fighting in NHL 2024 differed from my own? I’d love to compare notes at this early stage, so please leave a comment below.

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