GoonBlog.com

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.

GoonSquad

Once Were Warriors.


in Dave

First things first. Where the heck is everybody? Chris? Hammer? Has the New NHL put you guys to sleep or what? We have a damn blog to run here. I know you’ve expressed disdain and disgust for the Bruins thus far, but there’s a few other teams, eh? I can’t really talk, and I won’t make lame excuses. Let’s get the momentum going, boys. This is embarassing.

I’ve recently wondered if we picked the wrong year to start a site dedicated to hockey enforcers. If it weren’t for bad timing, I’d have no timing at all, it seems. It would appear that Todd Simpson of the Blackhawks is having similar inklings:

Todd Simpson BlackHawks Fight

"Hockey players used to be warriors. Now you don’t have to be a warrior.”

What, praytell, do you have to be then? A gazelle? A giraffe on skates? Perhaps past-sell-date Olympic speed skaters will have a new lease on life in the NHL. I’ll tell you though, I’m not too worried. Every NHL and AHL game I’ve been to this year has had a dust up of some sort. It’s not like the boys are playing with bow ties and teacups. I went to the BC/BU contest 2 weeks ago, and even there I saw plenty of hooking and slashing. There’s no reason to panic, and I won’t be lining up for Red Sox Tickets anytime soon.

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Hear Ye Hockey Amendments


in GoonSquad, Hal Gill, The Hammer

Article [I.]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

For example: Hockey is a religion and no one will tell us different! I am free to tell Hal Gill "You Suck".  When you bring the boys on the ice, it starts as a peaceable.

Article [II.]

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The coach regulates the militia and it is often necessary for those on the ice to bear arms and drop gloves, and no one will infringe on the right of a goon to pull a 5 minute major.

Critics of these amendments are free to cross the border to the great white north. Where hockey is also relatively popular.

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Lowell Lock Monsters’ Hat Trick Guarantee!


in AHL, Dave, GoonSquad

It’s going to be a hot time in the old town tonight. The Lock Monsters take on the Hartford Wolf Pack in Lowell, and the game has an added air of excitement to it as the result of a rather bold claim:

"A Monster will score three, or the next home game is free!  The Lock Monsters promise that one of their players will record a hat trick on Saturday, or everyone in attendance will get a free ticket to see Lowell host Albany on November 16th."

Chris and I will be in the house, so I sincerely hope the Monsters come through with their claim. It’s almost like Dunlop setting a bounty on the head of Dr. Hook. Tonight is also Military Appreciation night, and anyone donating an item which can be shipped overseas to the troops (see list here) will receive another free ticket to the home game against Manchester on the 20th. Hopefully, I’ll be neck deep in free tickys by the time we hit the Brewery Exchange. And beer.

One of us will chime in with a full report tomorrow so stay tuned. And in the meantime have a safe weekend, everyone.

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PowerPoint of Pain – 2005 Fight Photos So Far


in Dave, GoonSquad

Would you like to see a delightful slideshow featuring the best NHL fights of the 2005 season to date? Of course you would, silly whiskers. So click to see Boulerice batter VandenBussche. Watch transfixed as Iginla gets Moen down in cold blood. Watch helplessly as Mayers hammers Henry. And all in vivid technicolor! Particularly cruel is the Brashear vs. Godard pic – "It’s Raining Pain". Don’t mess with the "other" Donald.

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All Hail Number 8! Neely gets Inducted


in Old Time Hockey, The Hammer

"Neely went through, not around." – Scott Burnside

It is time that we all pay our respects to one of the greatest hard-nosed hockey players EVAH! Watching Cam on the ice, and never knowing if he was going to score – or just beat the tar out of any tough guy going on the other team – was one of the things that made him great. He wore the Black and Gold with pride.

Cam Neely Gets Miffed!

Some random statistics from BostonBruins.com:

  • Was traded to Boston on his 21st birthday, June 6, 1986. I’ll bet that was a party.
  • Became only the second Bruin in club history to record consecutive 50-goal seasons.
  • A hit taken on his thigh in game six of the 1991 Prince of Wales Conference Championship series in Pittsburgh caused him to develop a condition known as myositis ossificans, where a portion of the muscle in his thigh turned to bone.
  • Set a club record for playoff goals in a year with 16, second in the league in that category (1991).
  • Scored 694 career points, ending with his retirement in 1996.

Please feel free to share your personal memories of Cam’s career. Jeepers – I’m talking like he’s dead or something. Tonight the Hall of Fame, and not the mortuary, gets a very worthy addition.

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Welcome to the Show, Trevor. No – You are not Batman.


in Chris, Goons, GoonSquad, Trevor Gillies

I just got back from today’s Monsters game. No fights, no emotion, no nothing. I had been eagerly awaiting 8 o’clock all day, as a GoonBlog favorite made his NHL debut tonight. Trevor Gillies is now officially in the show, but I’m not even sure he knows that right now. An auspicious debut to say the least.

Trevor Gilles (ANA) and Derek Boogaard (MIN) got into it right in front of the Ducks bench about halfway through the first period. The fight started OK for Trevor, as he handled himself nicely against the bigger Boogaard. The boys traded some hard rights and lefts. Then, Boogaard caught Trevor with a very hard right that bent him over. As he was coming back up, Boogie lowered the boom on Gillies sending him right to the ice. Trevor wound up on his back, and was clearly stunned. They took him right to the dressing room, and he has yet to return. I would say he probably has at the very least, a concussion. Oh, well. I guess you can’t win em all. In the business of enforcing, it is a win some lose some game. Right now, Gillies is 0-1. But he’ll be back for more.

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Let’s Go to the Show! Janssen and Gillies Get The Call


in The Ref, Trevor Gillies

Two of GB’s favorite slugging sons, Trevor Gillies and Cam Janssen, got the shoulder tap today and are headed to the NHL (Ducks and Devils respectively). We’ll bring you updates as they develop. In related news Malone just had a clear win against Leach. Easily 7 right hands to none. Now Orr and VanDenBussh are having a go. This post is writing itself. Tempers are flaring at the Garden.

Chris is actually at the game right now, so I’ll let him chime in and elaborate in the morning.

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Mitch Love Should Have Fought Gillies


in Chris, GoonSquad, Trevor Gillies, Uncategorized

After a very long week of work, and partying, I’m back in the saddle. Yesterday I had a half day at work and took a tour of Fenway – and drank about 112 beers at lunch. After the tour was over I went up to Lowell for the Lockmonster game. The game was a pretty good tilt, with a fight between Mitch Love (LOW) and Geoff Peters (POR) in the third period. The fight was pretty good with lots of uppercuts and straight right hands from Love. He missed with a couple of huge bombs that, had they landed, would have really hurt Peters. But here’s the thing. He should have fought Trevor Gillies.

From the drop of the puck, Gillies was out there doing what he does. The first time Love turned him down, they were jawing at each other at a faceoff. It was in the neutral zone, and it would have been the perfect time and place to have a go. Love turned Gillies down at least three more times during the game.  I can’t figure if it was because Love wanted no part of Gillies, or if Coach Rowe didn’t want him to fight Trevor or what, but it was kind of a let down man. It really bummed me out. Here’s hoping tonight they have a scrap when the two teams meet again tonight in Portland.

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Old Days Of Bruce Shoebottom


in Old Time Hockey, The Hammer

May 14th 1988, started like any other day.  The four of us a cooler of Bud and tickets to the Devils game, oh yeah it was game 7.  Anyway typical trip into the GARDEN four of us in a Monte Carlo most likely listening to some Van Halen and drinking beer like it was our job.  Our scenario usually went like this: drive to the parking garage next to the garden, site in the parking garage and have at least 6 or 7 Buds before we make our way over to Sullivan’s Tap, those of you who know the Tap this is before they expanded it, hang out at the Tap and drink 16oz. Knickerbockers for a $1.00 or less.  Why the Tap some may ask, being that I was still 3 days shy of my 20th birthday and I have been going to the Tap uncarded for 2 years, it seemed like the only place to go.  6 or so goons of Knickerbockers and we were ready to head into the game.

Needless to say the electricity in the Old Garden was unmatched only by the hatred of the Devils.  We had seats in the upper level in the corner, great view of all the action.  Just as we entered the garden my bro’ in law realized he left his glasses in the car, being the nice kind hearted people we are, we all said "Tough Shit".  We were heading up to our seats and to get two Busch beers on the way.  Leaving my bro in law to figure it out on his own, he heads to the security guys and ask’s if he can leave the garden so he can get his glasses.  Thinking they were just going to laugh at him one of the gaurds says sure but you have to hold this when you get back to your seat.

He comes back to the seat shortly before they drop the puck with glasses on and a sign that said "DEVILS SUCK".  A small price to pay to see the B’s beat the devils to go the Stanley Cup Finals.

I do miss the days of Cam beating the tar out of people on his way to scoring 50 goals and the fans throwing their shoes on the ice when ever Bruce Shoebottom would drop the gloves. Long live number 8.

Being this is my first post I apologize in advance for the spelling errors and nonsense that I write.  I do have more of these stories that are mostly going to revolve around beer and some sporting event or another and when I dig out my old ticket stubs I will put the pictures up.

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