One idiot dumped a bottle of fruit punch all over one of the Cowboy players. Some of the Canyon players didn't help matters because they were ready to throw off their gloves and take on any and all who wanted to fight. But the mob wasn't through. They spilled out into the lobby area, which was full of families preparing for a night of skating on an adjacent rink. Canyon rowdies mixed with the Hart, with fingers pointed and challenges thrown down.
Hockey is a fast and physical sport, which lends itself to action the fans love.
It is exciting, and hockey fans can be treated to seeing some very good players do some remarkable things on blades at Ice Station Valencia. But there is no way this is going to survive if what happened Saturday night continues. The coaches and players need to focus on the game, not the punishment. When one player has the puck sitting idly at his skates but doesn't notice it because his goal is to lay not one but two hits on two different players, then I think the purpose of the game has gone away. Yes, part of the game is hitting, but the hitting is supposed to happen when going for the puck, or to keep an opponent from getting to the puck.