10 Hockey Fight Mismatches That Made Fans Laugh Or Cringe (Photos)

Playoff spots are hotly contested and tempers flare during the stretch run of the NHL season.

Sometimes a fight can spark a team to victory, but some players haven’t been too smart about picking a dance partner. Remember Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith challenging Boston Bruins behemoth Zdeno Chara in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs? Yeah, that wasn’t the best move. At least Smith admitted it.

Smith isn’t alone in this recklessness, though. Even hockey royalty such as Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman have thrown the mitts — with the results you’d expect. Stick to scoring, guys, and leave the fighting to the big boys.

Click for the 10 biggest fight mismatches in NHL history >>

Photo via Dean Duprey/Associated Press