It seemed for some time that the sport between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators on March 5, 2004, may come and go with out incident.
That was a bit shocking as a result of eight days earlier, Ottawa’s Martin Havlat whacked the Flyers’ Mark Recchi within the face along with his stick and afterward, heated phrases and insinuations flew. The Flyers have been irate in regards to the play and Havlat was suspended two video games.
“Sometime somebody’s going to make (Havlat) eat his lunch,” Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said.
“It won’t come from our crew,” Recchi stated, “however he higher defend himself.”
Within the rematch, although, the primary 58 minutes handed quietly because the Flyers constructed a multi-goal lead on the best way to a 5-3 victory. However these final minutes have been something however quiet. And when it was over, officers tallied up a file quantity for penalty minutes in an NHL recreation (419) that also stands.
One other lasting end result from that evening: New league guidelines have been carried out for the beginning of the 2005-06 season, the primary after a lockout killed the 2004-05 season. Gamers who instigated a struggle with fewer than 5 minutes to go got a one-game suspension and the coaches of these gamers could be fined $10,000.
Twenty years later, fights within the waning minutes of video games are virtually non-existent. Right here’s the way it all went down.
Senators ahead Martin Havlat, talking in regards to the earlier recreation that began all of it: I had a forearm into Mark Recchi. I don’t suppose I hit his face, however I hit him for positive. I type of misplaced it slightly bit, so I obtained suspended for 2 video games. My first recreation again after the suspension was in fact in Philly. (Hitchcock) stated somebody would make me eat my lunch, proper? I do not forget that quote.
Flyers ahead John LeClair: That’s what began it, clearly. No person forgets that type of stuff.
Flyers ahead Mark Recchi: I keep in mind Havlat obtained suspended, they usually suspended him (two) video games and we performed them the (third). (League disciplinarian) Colin Campbell did a very good job there.
Flyers goalie Robert Esche: There was unhealthy blood getting in.
Senators ahead Daniel Alfredsson: We talked about it, however we didn’t suppose something was going to escalate to that extent. Would one thing occur? Most likely.
Havlat: I keep in mind being in Philly the day earlier than and I used to be sick. I wasn’t feeling properly. I used to be like, “If I name in sick and don’t present up, everybody goes to suppose that I’m a loser and I’m scared.” I wasn’t feeling properly, however I knew I needed to play.
The primary struggle takes place at 18:15 of the third interval, when respective powerful guys Donald Brashear of the Flyers and Rob Ray of the Senators drop the gloves. Different fights broke out through the stoppage, together with goalies Robert Esche (Flyers) and Patrick Lalime (Senators).
Esche: Brash had it made up in his head how that evening was going to go. He went up and down the ice after which he began preventing (Rob Ray). It was a very good struggle. Brash was doing an important job. Everyone is type of watching the struggle … after which all hell broke unfastened.
Flyers ahead Donald Brashear: Like another recreation the place guys’ feelings run up, you wish to make one thing occur otherwise you wish to get respect again. One thing needed to be achieved. I fought Ray a number of instances. He was a very good fighter. He was doing his job and I used to be doing mine, and we each tried to do the perfect we will. Typically it will get ugly, however that’s the secret.
Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock: Everyone knew how powerful Brash was however I at all times thought that Brash was a means higher participant than folks thought. Manner higher. … I believed he was actually a reliable participant that would handle the puck and handle the sport correctly. I had plenty of belief in Donald.
Senators ahead Rob Ray: If I keep in mind accurately it was simply us battling in entrance of the web. After which it simply escalated right into a struggle. It was simply two guys seeking to get their groups fired up. Then everyone jumped in. It appeared like that sparked all the things. It was simply an emotional curler coaster from that time on.
Senators ahead Shaun Van Allen: I couldn’t imagine Brian Pothier jumped in and went after Donald Brashear after he fought Ray. I don’t know what set him off. It obtained uncontrolled quick.
Flyers ahead Patrick Sharp: I used to be on the ice simply type of chillin’, and located myself in a 6-on-6 brawl. I used to be within the first wave of the brawls. I truly obtained pounded fairly good. Todd Simpson grabbed me. There’s a struggle between Brash and Rob Ray, and one other one escalated. That’s when Eschey and Patty Lalime went at it.
Esche: I keep in mind Danny Markov laying on the ice and there was a scrum happening, I went over to go choose someone up, and I flip round and Patrick Lalime is correct there — no helmet, no nothing. I used to be like, “What are you doing right here?”
Senators goalie Patrick Lalime: Esche was in the course of all of it. That’s after I stated, ‘I’m happening there.’ And I didn’t care. I knew he was a troublesome man. However I removed all my stuff as a result of I didn’t wish to be weighed down by my glove, blocker and masks. And I knew I needed to get his masks off.
Senators ahead Chris Neil: Patty Lalime was superior. For him to return down and do what he did, he’s only a nice crew man. For him, he had a giant smile on his face.
Lalime: After we have been achieved preventing one another, we have been simply alongside the boards. I used to be simply exhausted. I stated to Esche, “I’m lifeless.” He stated, “Me too.” So we made an settlement. No low-cost pictures. Nothing soiled. And I feel that was an indication of respect. And each time I handed him after that, we at all times stated hello to one another.
After play resumed got here one other collection of fights. In a 6-second span on the sport clock, six gamers have been issued preventing majors: Chris Neil, Zdeno Chara and Mike Fisher from Ottawa, and Radovan Somik, Mattias Timander and Michal Handzus from the Flyers.
Esche: As soon as it obtained to a tipping level, which it clearly did the subsequent shift, it was simply going to proceed to unravel.
Hitchcock: It was an emotional time, they have been emotional video games. Two actually good groups. However I used to be actually offended (as a result of) the gamers that have been being attacked, they weren’t scrappers or fighters or something.
Flyers GM Bob Clarke: I used to be watching from the press field clearly because the supervisor. For me, Jacques Martin premeditated that. He had all powerful gamers on the ice and the Flyers had 4 Europeans. Because it turned out, our Europeans obtained beat up.
Senators coach Jacques Martin: I’ve by no means despatched a man out to struggle in my whole profession. I don’t imagine in sending a man over. When there are fights in hockey, I feel that’s high quality. However I don’t suppose I’ve ever been a proponent of going after folks.
Van Allen: That will have been out of Jacques’ character to try this. I performed for him for about six years. And he by no means requested anyone to struggle – ever.
Neil: We made that call as gamers. I stated to Martin Prusek (the Senators backup goalie, who entered the sport after the primary struggle), “As quickly because the puck is dropped, skate down and seize their goalie. As a result of we’re all going.” All of us knew what we have been doing. Then after my struggle I seemed down the ice and I see Prusek nonetheless standing at his internet and his arm over the crossbar. He didn’t perceive a phrase I stated as a result of he didn’t struggle.
Lalime: I feel Prusek was being good. Sean Burke was their different goalie. And I feel Burkie was able to go.
One other wave of fights got here at 18:45 of the third. Recchi fought with Ottawa’s Brian Smolinski, whereas LeClair and Wade Redden paired off.
LeClair: A few of it was guys selecting the incorrect guys to bounce with. So, all proper, you’re going to try this, and the subsequent shift up we’re going to do that.
Recchi: I noticed Johnny (LeClair) abruptly was preventing someone and I simply rotated and grabbed the primary man, and, let’s go. And everyone else was going, as properly. It’s what you do as teammates, and we have been a crew, and we needed to point out that.
Havlat: Zdeno Chara obtained an instigator penalty and Jacques saved my life that evening. He despatched me to the penalty field to serve that instigator. And that means I used to be protected. In order that was my participation within the struggle. Smolinski fought Recchi proper in entrance of the penalty field and I believed, that would have been me. And I don’t suppose I’d have achieved in addition to Smoke.
Lalime: I feel they actually needed to get at Marty. However he was contained in the field.
Flyers defenseman Chris Therien: It’s a type of issues the place it will get loopy, however it will get to some extent the place it finally ends up being extra like a WWE occasion than an precise hockey recreation, and that’s what occurred.
Alfredsson: Nicely, I didn’t have a struggle in that recreation. And the final minute and a half most likely took a couple of half hour to truly play. I keep in mind trying up throughout one of many faceoffs and we’ve 4 coaches and three gamers on the bench.
Neil: Guys have been coming off and high-fiving one another contained in the locker room. The adrenaline was going. Behind the scenes, it was actually intense.
The ultimate struggle occurred on the following face-off, at 18:47 of the third, when Patrick Sharp and Jason Spezza dropped the gloves.
Senators ahead Jason Spezza: I used to be pondering, ‘Who am I going to struggle? When am I going to struggle? And I higher be certain that I struggle as a result of in a recreation like that, you don’t wish to be the one man who doesn’t struggle.
Sharp: The constructing was rocking. They’re checking out the penalties, and Hitch came visiting and tapped me on the shoulder and stated, “When 39 will get on the ice, you’re up.” And I’m pondering, who the heck is 39? Is that Dominik Hasek? Then I seemed over and it’s Jason Spezza. … It’s one factor to struggle whenever you’re within the NHL when it’s spur of the second, however when you might have time to take a seat there and take into consideration what’s coming, you get little butterflies within the abdomen. I seemed over and noticed Simon Gagne and he simply gave me a glance, like, good luck man.
Spezza: Jacques was a lot quieter. He didn’t say something about it, however I keep in mind the refs coming to our bench and saying, “That’s it. No extra fights.” And I’m pondering to myself, “No means am I achieved. I’ve to struggle on this recreation.” After I obtained out to that draw, Sharpie stated to me, “We’re going.” And I felt like we have been the 2 younger guys who didn’t wish to get ignored.
Hitchcock: (Martin’s) bench was shorter than mine. I simply stated to myself, screw it. … I’m going to attempt to run him out of gamers.
Clarke: Patrick Sharp was going towards Jason Spezza. He’s a Canadian, he might struggle. Jason Spezza obtained the quick finish of that one. He was the one one we received.
Neil: Spezz getting 35 minutes in penalties, we use that as a trivia query generally. However he obtained all these minutes as a result of he had no tie down (as required by league guidelines to forestall the jersey from coming off), he was the instigator and he fought with a visor. I want I had that on my card, however I didn’t put on a visor.
Spezza: I used to joke with Neiler about it. I feel he has each different preventing file in crew historical past. I don’t suppose I’ve another Sens information, however I obtained that one.
After the sport, Clarke was so upset that he tried to search out Martin within the guests’ dressing room.
Clarke: Foolishly, I used to be so mad at what Jacques Martin did, as a result of he had deliberate it. … I used to be pissed and I went down (to the visiting dressing room). I stated to their PR man, might I see Jacques Martin? He stated, “I don’t give you the results you want.” And he was proper. So, I left.
Martin: I assume they wouldn’t let him in. I feel our coaches workplace at the moment was truly a part of the visiting dressing room. Just a bit workplace. And somebody informed me afterwards that Bobby was attempting to get in. And he was attempting to get at me.
Ray: I heard about him coming down and being pissed off and blaming our aspect for all the things. However you realize what? Bobby Clarke has achieved some issues over time. I keep in mind enjoying towards the Flyers within the playoffs one yr with Buffalo. And he wouldn’t flip the lights on within the enviornment for our observe. One other time, we broke an affordable fan in our dressing room and he despatched us a invoice for like $2,500 to interchange it. I admire him, however he at all times took issues to extremes. So I feel this was him simply attempting to be part of it.
Recchi: To me, preventing is preventing, however the best way we dealt with it as a crew and the best way Ottawa dealt with it, I feel it harm Ottawa. They type of went one route and we went the opposite due to the best way we dealt with it, and the best way everyone was concerned. Everyone. Each prime expert man, to our function guys. They didn’t try this, and I feel it type of divided their dressing room slightly bit and introduced us even nearer. I actually really feel that means.
Alfredsson: We stood our personal floor and pushed again. I feel it was one thing that helped us as a crew for positive.
Ray: There was just one particular person pissed off and I feel that was Jacques. He hated that stuff. I might see in his face, he didn’t like that stuff. I feel he was the one one within the group who didn’t prefer it. I feel for thus lengthy that group was pushed round. And that evening, the gamers realized they may push again. And that did rather a lot for them.
Esche: We thought it was comical, we thought it was superior, entertaining. Enjoyable to be part of.
Lalime: I don’t like preventing, however that complete evening was an important hockey second.
Clarke: It was simply foolishness. All of them laughed about it after. However I didn’t suppose it was a lot enjoyable.
Neil: On the finish of the day, we had 4 guys getting stitched up. That they had six, so I feel we received the warfare.
(Illustration: Daniel Goldfarb / The Athletic. Photographs: George Widman, H. Rumph Jr. / Related Press; Dave Sandford / Getty)
