Wild NHL Goalie Fights

Wild NHL Goalie Fights
Wild NHL Goalie Fights /

Wild NHL Goalie Fights

Ray Emery vs. Braden Holtby

Ray Emery vs. Braden Holtby
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

When goalies square off, you never know if you'll get a stirring heavyweight bout, a clumsy waltz between two sacks of equipment, or a brutal one-sided beatdown like this one. As the two teams began to scrap, Emery, the frustrated Flyers' netminder, left his crease on the short end of a 7-0 score and started pounding on his Capitals counterpart, who wanted no part of a fight and took a frightful thrashing. Emery's antics led to calls for his suspension (the NHL declined, citing no grounds) and referee Francois St. Laurent took heat for not intervening. Click here to watch the fight! Here are 19 more notable goalie dust-ups with video for your entertainment pleasure.

Carey Price vs. Tim Thomas

Carey Price vs. Tim Thomas
Elsa/Getty Images

"I think we were just play-fighting more than anything," Price said. "Neither of us really wanted to get hurt, but we are out there doing whatever we had to do, I guess." Click here to watch the fight!

Brent Johnson vs. Rick DiPietro

Brent Johnson vs. Rick DiPietro
AP

This set-to summoned echoes of Mike Tyson's 30-second KO of Marvis Frazier in 1986 as Pittsburgh backup Brent Johnson fulfilled an apparent dream ("It was something I've kind of wanted to do for a while.") after taking umbrage at counterpart Rick DiPietro swatting Matt Cooke. Johnson skated down the ice and dispatched the arrogantly grinning Isles netminder with a crisp left to the noggin, much to the glee of his Penguin comrades. Click here to watch the fight!

Rick DiPietro vs. Al Montoya

Rick DiPietro vs. Al Montoya
AP; Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

DiPietro faired a lot better against Rangers goalie Montoya in this preseason bout. Six months after Chris Simon's infamous cheapshot on Ranger Ryan Hollweg, the two went at it again. As players from both sides tangled, DiPietro jumped in. Montoya immediately sped down the ice, but seemed to hesitate before dropping his gloves. Once he did, DP gestured that Montoya needed to remove his helmet as well. Once Montoya's lid was off, Mugsy DiPietro had his way, landing multiple lefts to the Ranger netminder's face. Click here to watch the fight!

Ray Emery vs. Martin Biron

Ray Emery vs. Martin Biron

Ottawa's Razor Ray had a respected track record as a pugilist, and his skills were on display in this fight with Buffalo's Biron. After whacking his way past his first adversary, Emery found himself exchanging fistic pleasantries with ornery winger Andrew Peters. Click here to watch the fight!

David Aebischer vs. <br> Philippe Sauve

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

The Swiss are renowned for remaining neutral, but Aebischer touched off a conflagration by taking exception to Flames in front of his net. Sauve seemingly flew in from Calgary to give his former teammate the what-for, and both combatants ultimately ended up being warmly hugged by the zebras. Click here to watch the fight!

Tomas Vokoun vs. <br> Miikka Kiprusoff

AP

Greco-Roman wrestling and pairs ice dancing pale alongside this epic stalemate. Click here to watch the fight!

Patrick Lalime vs. Robert Esche

Patrick Lalime vs. Robert Esche
AP

With the Senators and Flyers engaged in an all-out stemwinder, Lalime opted not to miss out on the fun -- seeking out Esche and apparently going after his wallet. The pair then conducted their own private roundelay in the corner, ending with a friendly chat. Click here to watch the fight!

Ty Conklin vs. Pasi Nurminen

Ty Conklin vs. Pasi Nurminen
AP

The Conklin vs. Nurminen bout was the centerpiece of a wild romp that resulted in 12 fighting majors, 10 game misconducts and two minors worth 164 penalty minutes. Click here to watch the fight!

Patrick Roy vs. Dominik Hasek

Patrick Roy vs. Dominik Hasek
AP

When the prickly Roy got into a tussle in his own net with Detroit's Kirk Maltby, the crease quickly became more crowded than the state room in the old Marx Brothers movie. Then Hasek came steaming in -- on his caboose -- taking out Roy like a bowling pin. A slapstick classic. Click here to watch the fight!

Patrick Lalime vs. Byron Dafoe

Patrick Lalime vs. Byron Dafoe
AP

As the Senators and Bruins commenced to dealing knuckles, the goaltenders met in an embrace that suggested a reunion of long-lost relatives. The good will, of course, did not last and the ensuing display would have made the Three Stooges proud. Click here to watch the fight!

Jani Hurme vs. Felix Potvin

Jani Hurme vs. Felix Potvin
Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

After Senator Andre Roy incidentally tripped over Potvin twice, he responded with a pair of crosschecks, which the netminder acknowledged by throwing a few wild punches. Once the rest of the Kings came in to defend their goalie's honor, mayhem ensued, and Jani Hurme joined the fray. With Hurme looking for a dance partner, Potvin skated across the ice, happy to oblige. Click here to watch the fight!

Dan Cloutier vs. Steve Passmore

Dan Cloutier vs. Steve Passmore

Despite conceding four inches and 30 pounds to Cloutier, plucky Passmore put forth a worthy effort in this scrap, and even appeared to get a chuckle out of it. Cloutier was apparently irked by Passmore's postfight jabber, and tossed a cheap shot as the refs were separating the two. Even Passmore's teammate, goon-legend Bob Probert couldn't restrain himself at the point. Click here to watch the fight!

Olaf Kolzig vs. Byron Dafoe

Olaf Kolzig vs. Byron Dafoe
AP

More of a rescue than a fight, Bruin Dafoe yanked Kolzig out of a decidedly one-sided engagement, sparing the Capital punishment that was far worse than the tugs, shoves and commentary the two netminders would share. Click here to watch the fight!

Dan Cloutier vs. Tommy Salo

Dan Cloutier vs. Tommy Salo
John Giamundo/Getty Images

General Custer had it easier than the hapless Salo, who quickly turned turtle as his Ranger counterpart ferociously and relentlessly pummeled him before engaging in a little exchange of opinion with the Islanders' bench. Click here to watch the fight!

Patrick Roy vs. Chris Osgood

Patrick Roy vs. Chris Osgood
AP

Roy may have won four Stanley Cups, three Conn Smythe trophies and a place in the Hall of Fame, but when it came to fighting, well, he tended to end up in an undignified heap. Click here to watch the fight!

Steve Shields vs. Garth Snow

Steve Shields vs. Garth Snow
AP

While the Flyers and Sabres engaged in a Pier Sixer, Shields would not be denied a chunk of Snow. The linesman soon found himself part of a roiling threesome that eventually looked like bags of laundry wrasslin' against the boards. Click here to watch the fight!

Patrick Roy vs. Mike Vernon

Patrick Roy vs. Mike Vernon
AP

In one of the truly legendary bouts, Roy brazenly shed his sweater and took the full measure of Detroit's Vernon, gamely battling but ultimately coming out on the short end of a split lip decision. Click here to watch the fight!

Felix Potvin vs. Ron Hextall

Felix Potvin vs. Ron Hextall
Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

In yet another legendary tussle, Hextall tangled with The Cat, the two trading blows until they ended up seemingly heaving in tearful remorse on each other's shoulders. The group hug with the refs at the end was truly touching. Click here to watch the fight!

Tommy Soderstrom vs. <br> Cory Schwab

AP

Cory Schwabbed the deck with Soderstrom after the Isles netminder had the temerity to grab one of the Devils behind New York's net as festivities between the two teams were beginning. Prying Soderstrom's chapeau off, Schwab rained punches on the hapless Swede before the linesmen mercifully brought a halt to the proceedings. Click here to watch the fight!


Published