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

Alive, not exactly well.


in Chris

I was at a wedding in Newport, RI this weekend. I drank to much Friday. I drank to much Saturday. I drank a little Sunday to even myself out from drinking too much on Friday and Saturday. Today is Wednesday, and I am just starting to feel better. I think pre-season hockey has fired me up. Boston got killed last night by a score of 5-0. The Leafs got 4 Power Play goals (on 15 attempts). It would appear the clutching and grabbing is being called. If it is still being called in January, remains to be seen.

There have been a few fights I have come across information on, but for the most part, finding box scores has been a bit hard. If anyone has a good source out there, I’d love to know. Anyway, I am back. 2 weeks to opening night!

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Wanted: New Roommate. Must Love Hockey


in Chris

After days of calling Comcast, waiting on hold, and then being given the run around, I have found out some good news. NHL Center Ice goes on sale today. For $129.00 I get all the hockey I want, and MOL gets all the "uh huh", and "sounds good" answers she can handle while asking me questions during the games. I haven’t had Center Ice on Comcast before, but I did have it on the Dish. I greatly enjoyed the dual feeds, and some of the regional ads were a hoot. However in the past, I didn’t have this site to report any good fights on, or a live in girlfriend to pay attention to. Between watching all those games, updating this site, and trying to keep her from cross checking me to death, I am in for a long cold winter.

In my opinion, it is totally worth it. Maybe my priorities are out of whack, maybe I am just a very sick man, but the NHL is back, and it is pretty much all I can think about. So, if I come knocking on your door after midnight on a Tuesday night, it means MOL was fed up with me watching a Kings game, and has ejected me for Instigating a fight, and not being tied down. Please, have a heart, and let me in. Oh, and make sure you have Center Ice, so we can finish watching the game.

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NHL Goes to Camp


in AHL, Chris, Goons, Trevor Gillies

First off, let me apologize for the long layoff. I have no excuse. I would like to tell you Bob Goodneow advised me to lock myself out, but I simply can’t. No excuse. I apologize.

Since we last met, things have happened. I waited in an excruciatingly long line Saturday to get Bruins tickets. I thought the organization did a good job getting people excited. At the Garden, people were allowed to skate if they bought tickets and a myriad of players were on hand for autographs, and meet and greets. While in line, I shook hands with Glen Murray, and Travis Green. I have long said there is not a more approachable, down to Earth athlete than a pro hockey player, and these two didn’t disappoint. Both guys were cordial, stopping for everyone, and taking pictures with the kids. I thought it was a great touch.

Glen Murray and Travis Green Greet Bruins Ticket Buyers

After being in line for about an hour and a half, the girl in front of me called Ticketmaster, to inquire about opening night. The sad news came, that game was sold out. Time for Plan B. I called Dave, and I am pretty sure I woke him. I inquired if the beloved Lockmonsters were playing on October 20th. With the precision of a Marine guiding in an air strike, he checked his laptop, and reported back to me, no, they weren’t. Now frig off. We had a new plan. Buffalo on the 20th. Well, little did I know I would have another hour to think about my decision. At the end we decided Buffalo sucks, let’s see Toronto on October 27th. After all, they have Tie Domi, and Eric Lindros. I figured Domi would give Orr a shot, and Jumbo Joe owes Old Glass Jaw one from last season. So, that’s what we did. The Goonsquad will be in the Garden Thursday October 27th. Hopefully our T-Shirts will be done by then. If you are there, and see us, stop and say hello. There are no guarantees we won’t be liquored, and belligerent, but hey, it’s worth a shot.

Camps have opened. Two places I think would be fairly tough camps this year. Carolina and Anaheim. Down South, the ‘Canes just added Jim Cummins to the roster. That means Gordie Dwyer, Jesse Boulerice, and Cummins are all fighting to stay in the Show. My guess is Boulerice and Cummins stay, Dwyer back to Lowell. Out West we have Trevor Gillies, Kip Brennan, Travis Moen, and Todd Fedoruk all trying to catch on with the Ducks. My bet is Brennan and Fedoruk stay, Gillies, and Moen down to Portland.

Apparently there have been a couple of decent scraps in Boston’s Camp as well. Anyone see them? Anyway, I feel like we are up to speed. I promise no more long layoffs. Three weeks to opening night, and I am like a caged animal right now. Do you think a Flux Capicator is a bit excessive for the Grand Prix? I can wait 3 weeks, can’t I?

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Boston Signs Orr


in Chris, Colton Orr, Goons

This is good news for Bruins fans. Colton Orr is as tough as they come. He’s a "classic" Bruin that would have fit in with the Big Bad Bruins of old. For those of you that haven’t seen him in Providence, this kid will be a fan favorite, and fast. Good to see the organization get this done.

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Hey Collins, deal Stevens in for Bridge


in Chris

New Jersey Devils mainstay, Scott Stevens called it a career the other day. Stevens is a warrior. The 41 year old blueliner has got to be one of the most feared body checker’s ever to play the game. Just ask Eric Lindros abut the ringing in his ears. Scotty, goonblog would like to say thanks for a great career, you will be missed.

Bruins tickets go on sale Saturday, and I am fully blowing off a wedding to be first in line for opening night. I was thinking of going to camp sometime next week in hopes of seeing the Orr brothers have a go. Opening night is around the corner, and I can’t wait. Not much else going on. My back has been junk, so I apologize for the lack of postings. As we get closer to the season starting, I will have more. Until then, talk amongst yourselves. Topic: Why are guys that have been in the NHL reluctant to drop em in the AHL?

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Collins retires


in Chris

I hope everyone had a lovely Labor Day. I blew my back out cutting the grass on Saturday, so I haven’t done too much. I did see a bit of exciting news the other day though. Long time NHL Linesman Kevin Collins has called it a career after 20 some odd years, and countless fights stopped.

For those of you not familiar with Kevin Collins, he is notorious for getting between two guys before fists can ever be thrown. If I were a Linesman, I would take a back seat until the boys tired themselves out, and then jump in. Not old KC. This guy loved jumping in before the boys can ever settle their differences. I find it truly amazing he never seriously hurt himself with his brazen ways. Maybe this is a sign that fighting will be way down? With no fights to stop unnecessarliy, what would Kevin have to do?

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LNAH Brawl


in Chris

A buddy of mine sent me this clip.  This is a pretty crazy brawl. Watch for the sucker punch at around the 1:30 mark of the video. I wish the goalies had gone. I think this is from the LNAH playoffs from last season. Gladiators winner Dean Mayrand is involved, but to be honest, I have no idea who he is in this brawl. I am amazed these benches didn’t empty. Anyone have any info on this?

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Tales From The AHL


in AHL, Chris

I want to tell you a story I was thinking about the other day. It comes from a friend of mine, and I make him tell it often. I think Marine Drill Instructors, and hockey players are the funniest people on Earth. I think this story is hilarious, you be the judge.

A couple of seasons back, The Lowell Lockmonsters had Dave MacIssac on their roster. I have never personally seen MacIssac fight, but I heard he was pretty good in his day. Well one evening, the Albany River Rats are in town, and don’t you know, MacIssac, and Rob Skrlac of Albany get into it. By the way, Skrlac will heretofore be known as "Pumpkin Head". That boy has a huuuuuge cranium. Anyhow, the boys get into a bit of a dust up, and apparently Pumpkin Head didn’t like the outcome, so on the way to the box they have this exchange.

Pumpkin Head: (yelling at the top of his lungs) DAVEY BOY, WE GONNA GO AGAIN!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!!

MacIssac: (Shaking his head, and grinning, totally deadpan) Whatever you say Rob.

That story KILLS me every time. Maybe it is one you had to be there for, or maybe it’s funny to you, but it slays me. I can’t wait for the season to get under way. No athlete in the world can trash talk or taunt as well as hockey players. I gotta go again! WOOOOOOO!!!!!

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Hockey Gladiators


in Chris

The Battle of the Hockey Gladiators was held over the weekend. For full results, click here. I have not written anything on this because I have been collecting thoughts, but like Deep throat, it is time for the silence to break.

When this tourney was first announced, I thought it would be a great idea. Who wouldn’t want to see the top enforcers in the world battle it out for supremacy? I was thinking I’d head to Minnesota and see the event first hand. Well, over the ensuing months, this project had more problems than you could shake a stick at. They lost buildings, fighters, and along the way the lost my interest as well. From what I understand, one of the reasons the organizers were losing building permits, is because local officials didn’t want a bunch of drunks watching guys slug it out, and then trying to slug it out themselves. A legitimate concern, but what is the difference between a boxing match, or a kickboxing event? Why more concern over hockey fights? Promoters said, "Nah, you got nothing to worry about, we’ll be well behaved." I had hoped they were right, and they didn’t give people that are against hockey fights, any ammunition to throw at us goon loving bunch.

Mayrand at Hockey Enforcers

From what I understand, about 2,000 people showed for the event in an arena that holds about 6,000. Link Gaetz, the favorite to win it all, was handed his lunch in the first round. After the event was over, apparently fights broke out all over the arena. The web cast didn’t work properly either, as it kept freezing up. The combatants were required to wear gloves, and helmets had to stay on. Doesn’t sound like much of a "hockey" fight to me.

It sounds to me like this event, from start to finish, was a joke. I love a good hockey fight as much as the next guy, but to me, a fight is when two guys square off, drop their gloves, and have at it. It isn’t two guys in a controlled area of ice, wearing gloves, slugging it out for two minutes. That is a street fight on ice, and if I wanted to watch that, I’d go rent an UFC video. I am not a prude when it comes to violence in hockey, it is the violence and speed that attracts me to it, I just don’t want an event like this to come back and haunt the game of hockey. I don’t want some yahoo to point to an "event" like the Gladiators, with its poor on ice product, and bad behavior in the stands, as a reason for fighting to be banned forever. Fighting is already dying off, and with the new CBA in the NHL, I feel it will all but be eliminated very soon. There may be nothing us fight fans can do or say about it, but let’s not let the people that drive fights from our beloved game point to the Gladiators as the reason why. 

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