Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Teammates Scrap More Often Than You Think
Once again, the nation’s capital is buzzing with Ray Emery news, this time because the hot-headed goalie threw down with his best friend Brian McGrattan at practice yesterday. Strangely enough, it’s not completely uncommon for teammates to exchange fists in the NHL.
Here’s a few instances:
Daniel Briere and Sami Kapanen exchanged blows during a Flyer practice back at the start of December.
"Going into practice everyone was a little ticked," Kapanen said. "I'm frustrated with the way I'm playing. But it's not a big deal. We talked after practice and everything's fine."
Back in 2002, Montreal teammates Karl Dykhuis and Richard Zednick were sitting on the bench during practice when they started going at each other.
''It was a little spat between brothers,'' Coach Michel Therrien said. ''It doesn't mean they don't like each other or respect each other.'' .
''That happens in practice sometimes,'' Dykhuis said. ''You get pushed around, emotions get going. It's not figure skating.''
That Montreal team was particularly prone to infighting as Donald Audette and Craig Rivet got into a practice scrap just three weeks prior to that.
A few seasons ago, Flyers veterans Keith Primeau and Chris McAllister squared off in training camp and Primeau rearranged McAllister's face. Here's the video proof.
I also seem to remember an Ottawa practice years ago that saw Chris Neil and Karel Rachunek get into a scrap but I can't find anything about it. If anyone remembers that, let us know.