Fight Night in Madison Square Garden: Flyers and Rangers (Video)

For every action, there is a reaction.

If you viciously cross-check Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds in the face with your carbon fiber stick should expect to get your face punched in. Tonight, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers exchanged Valentine's Day greetings. There were two fights in the first 59 seconds of the game.

Here's one perspective, I think it's flawed.

Wayne Simmonds got off with just an ejection, not a suspension, for his punch that KO’d Ryan McDonagh Saturday in Philadelphia. It left the Rangers captain with a concussion and the team without its All-Star defenseman for who knows how long. (News Day)

Feel free to chime in.

(Video) Alex Ovechkin hit on Wayne Simmonds

Check out this hit by Washington Capitals All-World forward Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin finished his check on Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds. It was at the end of a tie-game and nothing came out of it.

Flyers and Capitals line brawl

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Rivalry Night in Philly. The official boxscore will read (see below). Two players were kicked out of the game for their efforts.

11:59 WSH Tom Wilson Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Luke Schenn
11:59 PHI Luke Schenn Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Tom Wilson
11:59 PHI Vincent Lecavalier Fighting (maj) - 5 min against John Erskine
11:59 WSH John Erskine Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Vincent Lecavalier
11:59 PHI Vincent Lecavalier Game misconduct - 10 min
11:59 WSH Tom Wilson Instigator - 2 min
11:59 WSH Tom Wilson Game misconduct - 10 min
11:59 PHI Wayne Simmonds Cross checking - 2 min against Connor Carrick
11:59 PHI Wayne Simmonds served by Steve Downie Slashing - 2 min against Connor Carrick
11:59 WSH John Erskine Game misconduct - 10 min against Vincent Lecavalier

Sweet Matt Read Goal

Check out this sweet goal by former BSU Beavers and current Philadelphia Flyers forward Matt Read. That was Read's 11th goal of the season and it broke a 1-1 tie. The Flyers would score again, seven seconds later, when Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara would basically shoot the puck into his own net, to chase Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin.

Worst fight of the year... Subban vs. Wheeler

Far be it from me, to stick up for Blake Wheeler because I think he is a big bodied player that plays like he is 5'9" but P.K. Subban was trying to elbow Wheeler in the head. I am surprised that the Canadian's fraud Subban didn't turtle from this fight as well. I guess he saw Wheeler as not being much of a threat.

Now compare and contrast, former Gopher and current New York Rangers defenseman Stu Bickel is making quite a name for himself with the Rangers.

Apparently, the other night the former Gopher defenseman got in two fights in a game against Philadelphia Flyers. One of his fellow combatants Flyers cement head Tom Sestito got into three fights. I got to give Bickel credit, and he is a much better fighter than former fellow Gopher team Blake Wheeler. Unlike some of the fighters around the league and Bickel respects the hockey code and doesn't hit an opponent once he hits the ice. I have to respect that.


 Here is the other fight. -  Bickel vs. Wayne Simmonds

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Wayne Simmonds KOs Eric Brewer

Check out this fight, between the Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds and the Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Eric Brewer.

Color me surprised, Stu Bickel mixing it up in the NHL...

Gopher fans must be pleased that one of their former players is making an impression in the NHL preseason, albeit in a negative way. One of my least favorite Golden Gopher hockey players of all time; Stu Bickel. I suppose that this will be one of the only ways this guy will be able to stick/play in the NHL, being a third defensive pairing and having to fight on a regular basis to stay in the line up.

Related articles

• NHL bad boy Sean Avery accuses Simmonds of uttering gay slur (thestar.com)
• Rangers GM Sather optimistic Staal head-ed toward recovery (nypost.com)