Pittsburgh Penguins and Team USA coach Dan Bylsma wasn’t watching Monday night when American forwards Ryan Kesler and Dustin Brown dropped the gloves and put their health for the upcoming Winter Olympics at risk. Knowing that both are all right, though, Bylsma is happy with what he’s heard about the spirited scrap.
Kesler and Brown have both been named to Team USA, but the fact that they will be teammates next month didn’t slow them from being heated opponents in a game between the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. The two forwards — who could even skate on the same line at Sochi — dropped the gloves shortly after the start of the second period.
What followed was a quick bout that featured Kesler getting in a handful of shots after getting Brown’s sweater over his head. Bylsma told reporters that he hasn’t seen the fight, but he did get a report on the game from a Team USA scout. The results pleased the head coach.
“I haven’t seen [the fight],” Bylsma told reporters, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. ” I was still recovering from the road trip so I didn’t turn on that game. I did however this morning hear all about that game. We had a scout at the game who gave Dustin Brown a five in the game which is the highest rating you can get in the game. He talked about the battle. His comment was, ‘If this is what Team USA will do to each other, then wait until they get Canada on the other side.’ Yeah, I heard about it. I haven’t seen it quite yet. I did hear and get the report that Dustin and all the Olympians were really good in that game.”
Brown and the Kings ended up winning the game 1-0.
See the fight below.
