Eight Best Fights In Boston Bruins’ Hard-Nosed, Brawl-Filled History

The Boston Bruins franchise is synonymous with toughness.

Whether it’s the early years, the “Big Bad Bruins” of the 1960s and 1970s, the “Lunch Pail A.C.” of the 1970s and 1980s or more recent examples of battle-tested legends, Boston has been home to some hard-nosed hockey ever since the organization came into existence. It’s part of the city’s fabric.

With that in mind, let’s look back on several iconic Bruins fights, which most Boston fans probably know about for one reason or another.

Wayne Cashman vs. Guy Lapointe (Nov. 8, 1970)
This was classic 1970s hockey: the Bruins and Canadiens going toe-to-toe, with both benches spilling onto the ice. Cashman and Lapointe were at the center of the bedlam, trading heavy blows near the center dot before crashing to the ice and kickstarting a full-fledged melee as other combatants joined the fray. Total chaos.

Wayne Cashman vs. Jim Schoenfeld (Dec. 13, 1972)
Another Cashman bout we had to include based on its sheer uniqueness. Shoenfeld literally checked Cashman through the Zamboni door, leading to a huge brawl in the hallway between the stands. The officials intervening did little to calm the storm. The Bruins and Sabres were at each other’s throats.

Stan Jonathan vs. Pierre Bouchard (May 21, 1978)
A real David vs. Goliath matchup, with Jonathan listed at 5-foot-8, 175 pounds and Bouchard checking in at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. And guess what? David won. Jonathan bloodied Bouchard in Game 4 of the 1978 Stanley Cup Final, setting the stage for a Bruins victory, although the Canadiens ultimately prevailed in the series to hoist hockey’s biggest prize. Not the longest fight. Very one-sided. But it really showed off Jonathan’s bulldog mentality.

Bruins vs. Madison Square Garden crowd (Dec. 23, 1979)
This fight, like the Cashman-Shoenfeld brawl, also left the ice surface. Only this time, fans were involved. Several Bruins players — including Terry O’Reilly, Peter McNab and Mike Milbury — jumped into the stands as tensions escalated after a Bruins-Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. It was an ugly scene, of course, but the lasting image is of Milbury removing a fan’s shoe and using it against him in the heat of battle.

P.J. Stock vs. Stephen Peat (Jan. 5, 2002)
Don’t let Stock’s diminutive stature fool you: The guy could rumble. And arguably his best fight ever came in a Bruins uniform, against Peat, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound enforcer who wasn’t afraid to throw his weight around. The Boston crowd was absolutely electric for this showdown, which saw both fighters land devastating punches and ended with Stock saluting the fans.

Zdeno Chara vs. David Koci (Oct. 25, 2007)
Not only was Chara one of the best defensemen in Bruins history. He also was one of the most intimidating players to ever don a Boston uniform. Standing at 6-foot-9, Chara possessed a vicious slap shot and dangerous hands, which Koci learned the hard way during a 2007 matchup between the Bruins and Blackhawks. “Koci looks like he’s making a donation to the Red Cross here,” NESN’s own Jack Edwards proclaimed as Chara pummeled his bloody foe.

Shawn Thornton vs. Riley Cote (Oct. 27, 2007)
This is Thornton’s highest-rated fight on HockeyFights.com. His second-ranked fight also came against Cote later in the same season. It’s a testament to both guys’ fighting ability. But we’ll focus on Round 1, which took place at center ice in TD Garden. “It’s rock’ em, sock ’em robots,” NESN’s Jack Edwards declared as the two repeatedly punched each other in the face.

Bruins vs. Stars (Feb. 3, 2011)
Three fights in the opening four seconds: Gregory Campbell vs. Steve Ott. Shawn Thornton vs. Krys Barch. Adam McQuaid vs. Brian Sutherby. The Bruins and Stars developed some bad blood in the late 2000s/early 2010s, and this trio of matchups as soon as the puck dropped made for quite a show at TD Garden in Boston.