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| Goalie fight at Leafs game on Sunday night |
But on Sunday night, in a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres, that happened. Jonathan Bernier and Ryan Miller. It was the final fight on a wild fight card – a full line brawl.
It started after a nasty fight seconds after a fight between Leafs forward Jamie Devane and the Sabres’ Corey Tropp that left Tropp bloody and looking dizzy.
On the next faceoff in neutral ice, the Sabres send out 6-foot-8, 270-pound enforcer John Scott, who lined up opposite Leafs’ star Phil Kessel. Scott went for retribution against the sniper – a no-no under the NHL “code” – and all hell broke loose. Kessel, who probably would rather live than die in a fight with Scott, wouldn’t fight, and instead slashed and slashed at Scott, earning a match penalty.
Kessel spoke after the game about his almost fight.But new Leaf David Clarkson wouldn’t let his team’s star shooter go down, and jumped off the bench and into the fray.
Voila – 10-game suspension for Clarkson, the forward signed to a seven-year deal worth US$36.75-million over the off-season. And line brawl.
“We’re not proud or happy with what went on,” Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle told reporters after the game. “I think David Clarkson made a mistake and now we pay for it.”
Kessel ended up fighting after all, bloodying Brian Flynn – earning huge cheers from the crowd.
When all the fighting had settled down, Bernier got Miller’s attention at the opposite blue line. The new Leafs goalie challenged Miller, who is a feisty competitor himself, they both peeled off their masks, gloves and blockers and met at centre ice, with all the on-ice officials still trying to settle the other fights.
You can bet Bernier is now a cult hero for Leafs fans, who started the “Miller sucks” chants early in the pre-season tilt.
