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ECHL Line Brawl Culminates In Goalie TKO At Center Ice [VIDEO]

By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid

If fighting is being phased out of hockey, it enjoyed a brief comeback on Wednesday night in the ECHL.

In a game between the Cincinnati Cyclones (Nashville Predators affiliate) and the Quad City Mallards (Minnesota Wild), a line brawl broke out in the third period culminating in a goalie fight at center ice.

The final bout didn't last long, as Mallards' netminder Adam Vay toppled his counterpart Michael Houser with one punch to the chops. Vay, to his credit, then lifted Houser back to his feet and helped him off the ice.

Here's the knockout blow:

The brawl began after a mixup between a Cyclones' forward and a Mallards' defenseman. Per cycloneshockey.com:

"The physicality picked up just past the midway point of the final frame when Cyclones forward Brandon McNally and Mallards defenseman Andrew Panzarella went colliding into the boards in the Cyclones' offensive end. As McNally skated away, Vay tackled McNally from behind and delivered a couple of punches to the back of McNally's head.

"After Vay was separated from McNally, he then skated to center ice where he met Cyclones netminder Michael Houser," and, according to cycloneshockey.com, "the two engaged in a brief tussle and exchanged a few punches."

Brief tussle? Without a doubt. An exchange of punches? Not so much. Still, credit Houser for standing up for McNally after the defenseman had been pummeled by Vay.

A video of the full fight is below.

Both Houser and Vay received 10-minute misconducts and were ejected from the game. And somewhere, Chris Osgood and Patrick Roy smiled.

 

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