Are you aware of the recent Connor McDavid controversy? Indeed, the Edmonton Oilers captain got into trouble after cross-checking Vancouver Canucks’ right winger Conor Garland on his head. This raised concerns among the NHL community, who were aware of the bout rules on the ice rink. They never expected a player like McDavid to disobey the rules and go beyond hitting a fellow player on the head with gloves on, especially while holding the hockey stick.

The Oilers #97 received a match suspension, but the fans demanded additional penalties from the officials. However, recently, another fight broke out in the ECHL, which is the Developmental Hockey League for the AHL and the NHL. This time, the same fans who demanded McDavid’s penalties wanted to see the two players engage in a gruesome bout, but they didn’t, which caused dissatisfaction in the community.

That didn’t look anything like Connor McDavid’s fight

If you are an avid NHL fan, you also must like the bouts that sometimes occur on the ice rink. Indeed, a set of rules allows the two players to settle their differences with their own fists, and even though they may face some consequences for their actions, some devoted fans who have been watching the sport for a long time believe this to be the true essence of ice hockey.

The fight between Connor McDavid and Conor Garland deviated from the NHL rulebooks. For this, the Oilers’ captain did receive a match suspension. However, goaltenders Matt Radomsky and Jack LaFontaine decided to engage in a fistfight on the rink during the second period of the recent ECHL match between the Rapid City Rush and Kansas City Mavericks. The Mavericks were dominating the other team by 4-0, but LaFontaine had a difference to settle.

As seen on B/R Open Ice’s X profile, the crowd went absolutely wild, and both parties were prepared for a fight. The ice hockey game quickly transformed into a wrestling match when Radomsky grabbed LaFontaine and delivered the first punch on the shoulder. However, as they were grabbing each other’s sweaters, they both fell onto the rink, causing the Rush’s goaltender to completely collide with the Mavericks player. While the fans thought that this would get even more heated up, LaFontaine tapped the back of Radomsky, ending the bout.

The match referees went and picked up both goaltenders. What did they do next? The two tapped each other’s backs as a sign of respect and went back to serve their minor suspension. Many fans were confused by the contrast between McDavid’s fight and this one in the ECHL. However, when this clip became viral on the internet, ice hockey enthusiasts expressed their disappointment with the outcome on the rink.

Fans were locked in for a bout

The ice hockey fans wanted to see the fight. Indeed, a bout between the goaltenders is rare to see, and whenever it happens, it excites the community. But why so? Goalies are crucial in any ice hockey game, and they also carry the pride of the team, so this fan expressed their disappointment in the ECHL game, stating, “Lame. No fight should ever end with a good job buddy tap.” This fan pointed out a specific moment from the bout, stating, “Weak. Lost his footing.” Was that an actual fight? This fan had a different answer, stating, “They were hugging…”

However, how different was Connor McDavid’s fight from this? During the third period of the game between the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks at the Rogers Arena, the home heroes were comfortably leading the game by 3-2. However, the Oilers had the puck advantage, which caused much concern for the Canucks’ goaltender and defensemen. When McDavid gained possession of the puck, he attempted to score, but Conor Garland intervened. During the same time, McDavid lost his balance and fell on Garland but didn’t try to lift back up.

Indeed, the Oilers captain completely blocked the Canucks right winger, and as soon as he had the opportunity, he gave a cross-check to Garland’s head while still wearing his kit. This immediately resulted in a match suspension for McDavid and sparked significant controversy within the community. However, the ECHL bout was completely different, and one fan stated, “There were concepts of a fight.” Another fan gave the two a suggestion, stating, “They forgot the pillows.” This fight even made a fan laugh, as they stated, “Goalie fights will always be funny to me idk why.”

Whatever the results might be, the ECHL bout showcased how the two goaltenders had respect for each other, despite having a fight on the ice. They wanted nothing but to catch the attention of the crowd in a good way and raise the anticipation among fans, living up to ice hockey’s spirit.