Hockey fans nearly witnessed a rare goalie fight on Sunday night, but officials stepped in to stop it.
During the second period of Sunday`s game between the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings, Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov collided with Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper.
Kuemper reacted to the collision by removing Khusnutdinov`s helmet, leading to a scuffle near the Kings` net. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman then skated to center ice, signaling for Kuemper to engage in a fight.
Kuemper accepted the challenge and met Swayman at center ice, where both goalies removed their gloves and blockers. However, officials quickly intervened and prevented the fight from happening.
“(Kuemper) made contact with one of my teammates, and I felt it was something I couldn`t accept,” Swayman stated after the game. “I give him credit; he was willing to engage. It`s unfortunate it was broken up.”
Ultimately, both Kuemper and Swayman received two-minute penalties for leaving their crease. Kuemper was also penalized for roughing for taking off Khusnutdinov`s helmet, while Khusnutdinov was penalized for goaltender interference.
A goalie fight has not occurred in the NHL since February 1, 2020, between Edmonton’s Mike Smith and Calgary’s Cam Talbot, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2023, officials also prevented a fight between St. Louis` Jordan Binnington and Minnesota`s Marc-Andre Fleury. Binnington was ejected and suspended for two games for punching Wild forward Ryan Hartman.
NHL fans expressed their disappointment that the referees stopped the potential goalie fight. Here are some reactions to the near goalie fight on Sunday.
