The night the Devil's Cam Janssen leveled Maple Leaf Thomas Kaberle with a late hit and concussion, the players vowed to get even by coming back in the game to beat New Jersey. They did just that in a shootout but that's not how it works in the NHL. There is still the unwritten code that someone has to punish Janssen beyond the 3-game suspension handed out by the NHL.
So last night, despite public pronouncements that there would be no payback, Wade Belak challenged Janssen to a fight the first time the two were both on the ice. The officials allowed the fight to proceed for almost 2 minutes without intervening. The players and coaches watched with approval. The Toronto fans went wild chanting "Belak! Belak!" Of course no action or comment will from the NHL.
Hockey has always condoned this type of violence while other sports do not. And hockey is no where as popular as these other sports but the NHL sees no connection. The action taken by Belak has similarities to the attack by Todd Bertuzzi on Steve Moore. It was retribution for an earlier foul on a star teammate. The difference was Bertuzzi attacked from behind while Belak challenged his opponent face to face. No suspension for beating the crap out of a guy if he sees you coming.
The NHL continues to cling to the belief that fans want fighting. Well perhaps their small fan base like it. But maybe they would be more successful in expanding that base if they eliminated fighting from the game. Just look at the start of the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada broadcast each Saturday. The theme song is "'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting".
In the NHL, every night is alright for fighting.
