Good article of Fighting in the Playoffs

[Frozen-Man 144]

Thought you would really like this article Esteef. Cheers!

The truth is there's much more fighting this year, with 31 fighting majors in the opening two rounds entering Tuesday night. animosity

In last year's four rounds, there were only 14 fighting majors, according to hockeyfights.com.

The 31 majors, with two-plus rounds remaining, are the most since 32 in 2004.

Perhaps Anaheim forward George Parros, who was third in the league during the regular season with 23 fights, has the best explanation.

"I don't know for sure, but it's possible with the way the rules have changed (to cut down on goon-like behavior), you've got guys that can skate and fight," Parros said. "There's no longer the guys that are one-dimensional and can only fight and then they're out of the playoffs automatically because they can't play the game.

"You've got guys who can play the game now who have a lot of toughness to their game, too. You see those guys staying in the lineup because of their skill set. All of a sudden they're getting in more tussles because there's more guys out there like them."

But when you look at who has dropped the gloves in recent weeks, some are decent-to-very good players.

Who can forget Anaheim star Ryan Getzlaf fighting one of San Jose's top players, Joe Thornton, off the opening faceoff in Game 6 of their opening-round series?

Other quality players who have gotten into fights include Anaheim's Corey Perry, Pittsburgh's Chris Kunitz, Boston's Milan Lucic and Detroit's Jonathan Ericsson.

Not only are there more of these quality players capable of fighting, the so-called enforcers have improved, too.

"Some of the guys who are labeled as fighters have become more skilled themselves and they can get into a playoff game now," Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill said.

p.s. sorry UK Red Wing I should have included you along with Esteef!

Edited May 14, 2009 by Frozen-Man

[esteef 2,679]

Good article, I think it's a combo of 1 and 2.

esteef

[Frozen-Man 144]

Good article, I think it's a combo of 1 and 2.

esteef

Yeah that is the way that it seems to me as well but I figured if I put an option in the poll for a combo of 1 and 2 almost everyone would pick it.

[uk_redwing 495]

I think its a combo of 1 and 3.

Skilled players have always had some willingness to fight (Yzerman, Crosby...hell even Datsyuk this season has been getting fiesty) but the demise of the goon and the rise of the enforcer has meant there are more people to fight.

And Im pretty certain the match-ups have had something to do with it. The Wings-Ducks series has produced the most fights of any of the series, and that wouldnt have happened with any other teams. Its purely rivalry. Same with the Sharks-Ducks and Canes-Bruins.

These playoffs have been awesome for us fight fans

Edited May 14, 2009 by uk_redwing

[Frozen-Man 144]

I think its a combo of 1 and 3.

Skilled players have always had some willingness to fight (Yzerman, Crosby...hell even Datsyuk this season has been getting fiesty) but the demise of the goon and the rise of the enforcer has meant there are more people to fight.

And Im pretty certain the match-ups have had something to do with it. The Wings-Ducks series has produced the most fights of any of the series, and that wouldnt have happened with any other teams. Its purely rivalry. Same with the Sharks-Ducks and Canes-Bruins.

These playoffs have been awesome for us fight fans

I especially enjoyed Perry v. Ericsson

[esteef 2,679]

Yeah that is the way that it seems to me as well but I figured if I put an option in the poll for a combo of 1 and 2 almost everyone would pick it.

BTW, how did Parros have time for an interview, shouldn't he be playing or something?

esteef

[Frozen-Man 144]

BTW, how did Parros have time for an interview, shouldn't he be playing or something?

esteef

[uk_redwing 495]

I especially enjoyed Perry v. Ericsson

Me too.

Let us all recap what happened to Corey "Visor-Boy" Fairy when he went after what he thought was a non-fighter...

[under_par_00 45]

Me too.

Let us all recap what happened to Corey "Visor-Boy" Fairy when he went after what he thought was a non-fighter...

I bet he wont make that mistake again. His fighting list is now Rafalski, Hudler, Helm, and Lebda.

[Bannedforlife 403]

Me too.

Let us all recap what happened to Corey "Visor-Boy" Fairy when he went after what he thought was a non-fighter...

I wish Ericsson had broken Perry's face that night...

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

There's more middleweight pests now playing in the NHL than at any recent time that I can think of.

Very few (if any) of these fights have occurred between legit heavyweights.

Also, most of the fights occur at scrums at the end of games, and not at any point in the actual game.