Boston Bruins-New York Rangers fans

Boston Bruins-New York Rangers fans

Bruins battle Rangers fans
AP. Toronto Star. December 24. 1979.

An ugly brawl erupted between Boston Bruin players and several Madison Square Garden patrons following Bruins' 4-3 National Hockey League victory over New York Rangers last night and four fans were arrested.

At game's end, hard feelings, which had been developing throughout the game, got the better of New York goalie John Davidson. The netminder skated to Bruins' end of the rink instead of going directly to the dressing room, and confronted Boston's Al Secord and John Wensink.

Both Boston players had been involved in some rough play with Davidson and New York's Swedish forwards, Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg.

"Secord suckered Nilsson and the referee (Greg Madill) did nothing about it," said Davidson, who allowed three goals in the final period.

"Everybody in the league thinks the Swedes take dives and are not tough, but it's not so. They're not the type of players to take dives."

His teammates, seeing Davidson talking with Secord and Wensink, also skated to the Boston end of the rink.

Boston coach Fred Creighton came on the ice and ordered his players off through a tunnel at the end of the rink.

Before all Boston players could get off, New York's Frank Beaton and Secord began a fight in the corner. Boston's Stan Jonathan joined in and a fan reached across the glass and punched Jonathan in the face.

Jonathan raised his stick to swing it at the fan and the heckler grabbed the stick, and turned it on Jonathan. Boston's Terry O'Reilly jumped over the boards and wrestled the fan as all the Bruins poured over the boards.

"I went into the stands because somebody, who had no right to, punched Stanley," said O'Reilly. "It's none of the fans' business. We don't interfere with them if they leave us alone. When I got in there it was pretty bad.

"I regret it, but I don't think I had a choice."

Bruins chased the offending fan and got eight rows deep into the stands, where they were met by a surge of fans. Secord was seen using a shoe to beat the heckler who hit Jonathan.

Garden security personel and New York city police then intervened, with NHL head of security Frank Torpey looking on.

The Garden pressed charges against four people, but their names were unavailable.

Rangers' assistant coach Mike Nykoluk blamed Madill for the short tempers of the players.

"We will have to get the film out and give it to the league in order to stop this stuff," Nykoluk said. "The thing in the stands was ridiculous. He (Madill) let everything go all night."

Rangers' president William Jennings said: "We have been told by Mr. (NHL President John) Ziegler not to talk about this, but you can quote me. The referee caused the whole problem."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• fans
• Madison Squre Garden
• Terry O'Reilly
• Mike Milbury
• rough house hockey

[NTrogue20]

Fred is my grandmas cousin he got enducted into the manitoba hockey a while ago and died about 2 months ago

[kevoind]

rise of the planet of the apes

[dw438]

Hear Milbury does this to teenaged kids, too.

[JoeyPencils]

do not fuck with Terry O'Rielly

[Mudozvonius]

Где Назаров?

[ricktalks2much1]

This Is Sparta !!

[Mike8181]

@kyleclegg01 bostons the best dude, champions

[chad5770]

I don't remember talking to you...so STFU.

[fireflydarkness]

@chad5770 wow great comeback! got any more???

[artistseye1]

Kind of funny because the rangers are left with no one to fight with.