It was the brawl seen 'round the world. Literally.
From ESPN's "Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable" to Yahoo.com to sport.sk (a Slovakian website), a YouTube clip of Saturday's third-period melee between the Reign and Bakersfield Condors has made the rounds. And then some.
The ECHL followed the deluge of armchair comments with one of its own Monday when: Reign left wing Kevin Estrada and Bakersfield defenseman Tyson Gimblett were suspended one game apiece for being the third players in to an altercation.
Estrada will miss tonight's game against the Alaska Aces at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Considering the teams combined to receive 278 penalty minutes in the game - 28minutes short of the ECHL record - a one-game suspension and no serious injuries were a very mild fallout for the Reign.
Within the Reign dressing room Monday, the prevailing emotion was pride.
"They've got to do what they can to make sure they can sell tickets," Reign coach Jason Christie said of the Condors. "We've all been in that situation. I really like how our guys stuck together. That's hockey."
Estrada expressed similar sentiments.
"It's old-time hockey," he said. "Guys were held accountable; that's great. I'm proud that everybody jumped in."
The fisticuffs began with 1:18 left in the game, when Estrada was hit hard into the boards by Bakersfield's Ian McKenzie, a hit that fetched no penalties by the officials nor supplemental discipline by the league.
After two more fight-induced stoppages, the game ended with only three players on the Reign bench, four players and no coaches on the Condors' bench and both goalies (J-F Berube and Bryan Pitton) among those ejected for fighting.
Estrada didn't question the legality of the hit, but he did question McKenzie's motivation.
"I think it was probably a clean hit but the timing wasn't good," he said. "The fact that he had two boarding penalties with twominutes left, it makes you think there might have been intent to injure.
"What's their mentality? They're first in the league in penalty minutes."
Watt returns
J.D. Watt returned to the Reign, ending his second stint with the American Hockey League's Manchester Monarchs after more than a month. The agitating right wing was recalled by the Monarchs on Dec. 26, and also was in Manchester from Dec. 13-19.
"(The American Hockey League) is a really good league, but you don't ever want to come to the East Coast League and be overconfident because you'll be in trouble," he said. "Looking at (today's) game, I'm just as excited. I don't know why (the Reign) want me, they're doing so good."
Christie and Watt said they don't know how long the latest assignment will last.
Injury update
Vincent LoVerde was transferred to 7-day injured reserve and will miss at least another week with a skin infection in his elbow. The defenseman didn't play Friday or Saturday in Bakersfield and Christie said LoVerde will not accompany the team on its weekend trip to Utah.
Brady Calla (elbow) also missed Monday's practice, but Christie said the forward will be in the lineup today. Forward Matt Tassone (back) skated on his own but the coach said Tassone "didn't feel any better."
Defenseman Philippe Seydoux wasn't officially shut down for the season with a concussion, but "he wasn't getting any better and he thought being home would be better for him," Christie said. The team suspended Seydoux, a native of Switzerland, last week.
Alumni updates
Forward Dwight King has four points (three goals, assist) in his past four games for the Monarchs and has 28 points in 47games this season.
Manchester goalie Jeff Zatkoff, selected to compete in Monday's AHL All-Star Game, has won his past three consecutive starts after losing his previous four. The Monarchs' other goalie, Martin Jones, finished January with a 1-4-0 record.
Oklahoma City defenseman Dylan Yeo has three goals and an assist in his past four games with a plus-4 rating. He has four goals, six points and a plus-6 rating this month.
Forward Luke Popko has four goals and two assists in his past four games for the Bloomington Blaze of the Central Hockey League. He has 10 goals and 16 assists in 28games.
Forward Alex Bourret has two goals and eight points in five games since returning to the CHL's Wichita Thunder after a three-week stint in the AHL.
Forward Justin Taylor has 14 goals and 33points in 39 games with Olimpija Ljubljana of the Austrian League.
Forward Bud Holloway, playing for Skelleftea HC of the Swedish Elite League, had a five-game point streak (four goals, four assists) snapped Saturday. Holloway leads the team with 35 points in 42 games. |
