Note: I will be doing a mailbag article at the end of the summer, in which I will be answering questions relating to sport (hockey) psychology, statistical analysis in hockey, and anything else of the sort. Send me your questions at [email protected]!
One of my favorite things about sports is that it brings people together in a way that no other activity in the world can. On occasion, it also lends to memorable moments (good, bad, or ugly) that cause you to look back with respect, laughter, or even disgust, a week, month, year, or ten years later.
Often I find that some of these greatest moments come from non-professional hockey –men’s leagues, youth hockey, or even lower-level college hockey. And that’s where our journey goes today.
When I was in college, I had the privilege of being able to manage my ACHA Division II hockey team for four years. However, one of the most memorable and incredulous moments came during my freshman year, just before I took over the position from my predecessor. In just the fourth league game of the season, my team, Muhlenberg College, was set to face off against Kutztown University, one of their biggest rivals at the time.
Blood began boiling before the game even started, leading to an intense, tight game at the drop of the puck. Just a few minutes into the second period, the glass behind the net cracked, leading to a delay that lasted over a half hour, while the rink attempted to find a replacement piece of glass – ultimately failing to do so, and cutting a piece of plywood to replace it. (Still better than the old chicken wire that used to be used in the NHL).
The strange game continued when, during the second intermission, we could hear a crash coming from the locker room. Peering out, we noticed the Zamboni had lowered it’s back too far, and cut a 20-foot gash in the ice. After attempting to correct the problem, they declared the rink unplayable after 45 minutes, suggesting we take our equipment to the other rink, located a few hundred feet uphill. Thus walked 40 college kids in full hockey equipment, sans skates, up the path and into a rink that housed a men’s league game.
By the time the game restarted for the third period, it was well past 11:00 PM (for a 7:30 PM start time). The period commenced, and by the last few minutes, it was clear Muhlenberg was in control – with a commanding 6-2 lead.
As the game reached its final seconds, Kutztown was disappointed and irritated by the rowdy and rude Muhlenberg fans chanting at them. As the final buzzer sounded, Kutztown’s defenseman shot a puck into the stands at one of the fans, looked in front of him, and was greeted by a sucker punch to the face by Muhlenberg’s assistant captain, dropping him to the ice. The benches cleared, and all but a few players took part in a brawl that would make the 2012 Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers jealous. After 20 minutes of flopping bodies, punches, kicks, name-calling, and worse, officials who were unable to put a stop to the madness, the dust settled, the teams shook hands (only after the referee threatened to suspend both teams if they failed to do so), and limped to the locker room.
Although confusing and ridiculous at the time, in retrospect, it may have been the most amusing and comical moment of my life in hockey (so far), leading to stories that both teams were able to share for years.
Who says NHL hockey is the only level of hockey entertainment?
Alan Bass, a former writer for The Hockey News and THN.com, is the author of "The Great Expansion: The Ultimate Risk That Changed The NHL Forever." You can contact him at [email protected], or on Twitter at @NHL_AlanBass.
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