Hockey fans were so close to being treated to one of the most intriguing fights in a long time Tuesday night.
Then, the officials stepped in and ruin the fun.
NHL veterans Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf dropped the gloves Tuesday night in a game between the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs, but no punches were thrown. The reason is that the linesmen broke up the fight before it even started after both players clearly had agreed to the fight.
Iginla was upset after taking a hit from Phaneuf, a check that punctuated a shift in which Phaneuf was more than willing to throw his weight around.
The crowd, as you could hear, was not happy. You can’t blame them, either. Both players agreed to the bout and seemed ready to go.
You have to wonder what kind of back story — if any — is there, too. Phaneuf and Iginla were Calgary Flames teammates for four-plus seasons before Phaneuf was traded to the Leafs in 2010. The two reportedly had issues with each other, but both denied those rumors shortly after the trade.
Thumbnail photo via Tom Szczerbowski/USA TODAY Sports Images
