21 Years Ago Today - Fight Night at the Joe

[Rodgerwilco]

So you'd rather see the marshmallow soft league of today then?? Ok..

I enjoy a hard style of play, but not dirty. I don't want to go back to the days where the only role of multiple players (who can barely skate) is to punch the other guys' lights out. You can watch old clips from hockey where the puck is totally ignored for small stretches of play and guys are only interested in taking off someone's head or blasting someone with a blind-sided hit.

 

[Sentinel]

Remember this game vividly. I was in college, and the game was on Passports that wasnt a part of my cable, so I went to my old dorm's common room, where I watched two periods before some bitch kicked me out for not being a resident, so I missed the entire third period. Now that was (a run-on sentence) a great era! What made it so special was that it was two best teams in the League. This was the night when Detroit started believing in themselves and it all came together in playoffs two months later.

 

[The Macho King]

That brawl generated a total of 22 PIMs. Roy and Vernon stayed in the game. Shanahan somehow got nothing. McCarty got 4 minutes.

I know things were generally more lax back then, but...

I mean, COME ON.

 

[Oddbob]

That was an awesome game. How many multigame suspensions would’ve been handed out if that game happened today?

They would have to shut the entire NHL down, due to mass confusion!

 

[Claypool]

I enjoy a hard style of play, but not dirty. I don't want to go back to the days where the only role of multiple players (who can barely skate) is to punch the other guys' lights out. You can watch old clips from hockey where the puck is totally ignored for small stretches of play and guys are only interested in taking off someone's head or blasting someone with a blind-sided hit.

There weren't any real dirty hits in this game.

 

[Reality Check]

The coolest part about this game, at least locally, was that it rebroadcasted by PASS countless times for about a week in it's entirety.

I still recall somewhat watching this live as I was a freshman in high school and had homework to complete. I stayed through the whole thing but wasn't paying close attention.

Downside is that the ESPN2 broadcast was blacked out locally. Outside these highlights, I've never seen that full broadcast. Much less the Colorado affiliate if they had the rights to that game.

 

[Leafblooded]

Nostalgia is quite the drug.

Good thing I'm not on it, you teenager. This game isn't ancient history either. The speed and skill of competition is clearly as high as it is in today's game. Just not a single ballerina on the ice. Guys had to have equal doses of skill and toughness. Eat or be eaten. Hard to blame love of hard-fought competition on nostalgia, kid.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Great memories!!

I'm a huge fan of the Wings but if McCarty did that knee thing in today's NHL he would of had one hell of a suspension. Also, on Fedorov's 2-on-1 goal... just effortless smooth skating.

What a hell of a first game for Knuble lol

Lemieux would also be out for 20+ games for the original hit.

That is still my favourite non cup winning game of all time.

 

[frog]

nobody got kicked out even mccartey and the goalies were allowed to keep playing lol. If this was to happen now, people would be throwing out 20-30 game suspensions and talking about how this isnt hockey.

 

[Alex Jones]

Still hoping expansion/relocation turns out the right way and Detroit moves back to the west, although it's improbable

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Good thing I'm not on it you teenager

Not a teenager. It's ok though gramps. I won't ruin your romanticism.

 

[The Macho King]

Still hoping expansion/relocation turns out the right way and Detroit moves back to the west, although it's improbable

At least the Wings and the Lightning seem to have a healthy amount of hate for each other. If the Wings can rebound maybe we can get something brewing.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

It was a great rivalry because the teams were great. It was good hockey in an era of some really dull hockey.

 

[Leafblooded]

Not a teenager. It's ok though gramps. I won't ruin your romanticism.

Read the post you quoted kiddo. Im 29 by the way, just old enough to rememeber what life was like without a cellphone.

 

[The Macho King]

It was a great rivalry because the teams were great. It was good hockey in an era of some really dull hockey.

Judging an entire era based on games between the two best teams *of* that era who, on top of being insanely highly skilled, also had an intense hatred for each other. Peak HF.

Watch a Lightning game during that era and tell me that you miss the good ol' days.

 

[sandysan]

McCarty probably should have.

But the officials in that game, much less the league turned the other way. They didn't want to say it publically but they knew that Lemieux got what he deserved.

There have been glimpses of that type of hateful rivalries in the NHL since. But what set this apart was were just how good Colorado and Detroit were during that period.

got what he deserved ? no one deserves to get jumped and suckered and the people who applaud mcCarty for doing so are contemptible morons. Some with mike vernon jumping in on a pre existing fight that led to roy jumping in. you want to go, be a man and square up and then take your lumps for good or for bad but you dont go around suckering people and then crow about what a tough guy you are,

Claude lemieux was dirty, yes. but after the hit on draper they played and he gave Draper the opportunity to settle and draper passed to allow " tough guy" mccarty to sucker an unknowing opponent at some later time an then went on to crow about it how it was good that the guy he suckered stayed down on the ice because he was really wanted to tune up a guy who was knocked loopy by getting suckered in a fight he didnt know he was in.

In round two, claude lemiex, of the playoff lemieux's, stood right next to " tough guy" darren mccarty, nodded his head yes and more than held his own. You have a beef, THAT's how you settle it. You don't hide behind some teamate you hope who intends to throw at an unwitting opponent at some time unilaterally decided by only one participant.

and after all of this, people still lionize mccarty for suckering a guy and still call lemieux a gutless puke. Lemieux could have very well let one of his teamates avenge him, but unlike draper, he knew it was his responsibility and did so face to face. how anyone can have respect fro either draper or mccarty is beyond me. There is a LOT to dislike lemieux over, but this aint part of it.

 

[The Macho King]

got what he deserved ? no one deserves to get jumped and suckered and the people who applaud mcCarty for doing so are contemptible morons. Some with mike vernon jumping in on a pre existing fight that led to roy jumping in. you want to go, be a man and square up and then take your lumps for good or for bad but you dont go around suckering people and then crow about what a tough guy you are,

Claude lemieux was dirty, yes. but after the hit on draper they played and he gave Draper the opportunity to settle and draper passed to allow " tough guy" mccarty to sucker an unknowing opponent at some later time an then went on to crow about it how it was good that the guy he suckered stayed down on the ice because he was really wanted to tune up a guy who was knocked loopy by getting suckered in a fight he didnt know he was in.

In round two, claude lemiex, of the playoff lemieux's, stood right next to " tough guy" darren mccarty, nodded his head yes and more than held his own. You have a beef, THAT's how you settle it. You don't hide behind some teamate you hope who intends to throw at an unwitting opponent at some time unilaterally decided by only one participant.

and after all of this, people still lionize mccarty for suckering a guy and still call lemieux a gutless puke. Lemieux could have very well let one of his teamates avenge him, but unlike draper, he knew it was his responsibility and did so face to face. how anyone can have respect fro either draper or mccarty is beyond me. There is a LOT to dislike lemieux over, but this aint part of it.

Pearl clutching aside - the Bertuzzi-Moore incident was basically McCarty-Lemieux if McCarty made better contact.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Judging an entire era based on games between the two best teams *of* that era who, on top of being insanely highly skilled, also had an intense hatred for each other. Peak HF.

Watch a Lightning game during that era and tell me that you miss the good ol' days.

Or my Sharks. Some really ugly hockey. Except when Nolan ran Belfour. That was gold.

 

[Leafblooded]

Judging an entire era based on games between the two best teams *of* that era who, on top of being insanely highly skilled, also had an intense hatred for each other. Peak HF.

Watch a Lightning game during that era and tell me that you miss the good ol' days.

I bet you're always watching the Coyotes and Sabres today

 

[sandysan]

Pearl clutching aside - the Bertuzzi-Moore incident was basically McCarty-Lemieux if McCarty made better contact.

uuuuum , no. Bertuzzi asked moore to settle and he fought a lightweight. when you settle you don't get to pick a guy you likely can whip and say the beef is squashed. You take runs at talent, you answer to whoever asks. if you don't, you are going to get more bertuzzi's and thorton orpiks.

Lemieux was more that willing to settle with Draper, if draper wanted to. he passed. then several games later mccarthy decided it was time to seek revenge by suckering an unknowing opponent.

You don't fight a guy at the end of a shift and if you have a beef and when offered to settle you decline, you don't get to bring up wanting to settle when its conveninent to you, or when you know you are going to get the upper hand because you intend to sucker a guy.

McCarty suckered a guy, four games later for transgressions the aggreived passed on settling. and people still cheer this chicken poop play. Lemieux, who as I said has a ton to be ashamed of in his career, still did right by the game and his team way more than draper or mccarty ever did. you have a beef, you settle face to face win lose or draw. apparenrtly that was rtoo mcuh to ask of " tough guy" darren mccarty.

if lemieux, sensing that mccarty was going to play justice delayed isnt justice denied had suckered mccarty oin that game then people would have every right to call him gutless. But when it comes to gutless between lemieux and draper the order goes draper-mccarty------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------lemieux. how mccarty is held in high regard for settling scores by suckering a guy is beyond me.

 

[MarkStone]

Lemieux would also be out for 20+ games for the original hit.

That is still my favourite non cup winning game of all time.

And Kozlov would be out 15 games for the hit on Foote that started the unpleasantness to begin with (although too many forget this).

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

uuuuum , no. Bertuzzi asked moore to settle and he fought a lightweight. when you settle you don't get to pick a guy you likely can whip and say the beef is squashed. You take runs at talent, you answer to whoever asks. if you don't, you are going to get more bertuzzi's and thorton orpiks.

Lemieux was more that willing to settle with Draper, if draper wanted to. he passed. then several games later mccarthy decided it was time to seek revenge by suckering an unknowing opponent.

You don't fight a guy at the end of a shift and if you have a beef and when offered to settle you decline, you don't get to bring up wanting to settle when its conveninent to you, or when you know you are going to get the upper hand because you intend to sucker a guy.

McCarty suckered a guy, four games later for transgressions the aggreived passed on settling. and people still cheer this chicken poop play. Lemieux, who as I said has a ton to be ashamed of in his career, still did right by the game and his team way more than draper or mccarty ever did. you have a beef, you settle face to face win lose or draw. apparenrtly that was rtoo mcuh to ask of " tough guy" darren mccarty.

if lemieux, sensing that mccarty was going to play justice delayed isnt justice denied had suckered mccarty oin that game then people would have every right to call him gutless. But when it comes to gutless between lemieux and draper the order goes draper-mccarty------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------lemieux. how mccarty is held in high regard for settling scores by suckering a guy is beyond me.

Aside from the dirtbag hit that could've ended a career, of course.

 

[DFC]

McCarty probably should have.

But the officials in that game, much less the league turned the other way. They didn't want to say it publically but they knew that Lemieux got what he deserved.

There have been glimpses of that type of hateful rivalries in the NHL since. But what set this apart was were just how good Colorado and Detroit were during that period.

Absolutely. It's also amazing how many known names/faces were involved. Two current GMs, half the current TB Lightning scouting staff, the father of TB's top prospect, a (former?) TSN TV personality, a number of legends.

 

[DFC]

I enjoy a hard style of play, but not dirty. I don't want to go back to the days where the only role of multiple players (who can barely skate) is to punch the other guys' lights out. You can watch old clips from hockey where the puck is totally ignored for small stretches of play and guys are only interested in taking off someone's head or blasting someone with a blind-sided hit.

If you're singling out McCarty here, you're not correct. He was one of Steve Yzerman's most consistent wingers in the Bowman era, and not for protection reasons. He had genuine chemistry with Yzerman and Shanahan.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

So many things I remember from that game:

-McCarty fighting Lemieux, who turtled instead of trying to fight back.

-Roy vs Vernon. What a fight!

-Fedorov playing all game as a defenceman, had a 2 point night.

-Forsberg and Larionov going at it all night.