My point exactly, it is carthartic. People need their needs fulfilled and this is an entertaining way to do this. Eitzen, D. Stanley, and George H. Sage. Sociology of North American Sport. In the world of hockey, violence pretty much comes with the game.
Hockey is a high-speed game that has tremendous hitting.
Players can hit an opposing player with their stick many times during the course of a game and get away with it. Running players into boards and the goal posts are a regular occurrence during a NHL game. These plays are legal and often cause injuries. Of the approximately 600 players in the NHL there are currently 109 player out with injuries. There are many injuries that occur from the violent collisions that are a part of the game of hockey.