Charity games, much like All Star games in any professional sport, rarely are an example of sporting excellence. And they almost never make news, other than—maybe—for their fundraising prowess. Usually the competitive edge in such contests is subdued by the goodwill of the bigger picture—raising money for a good cause. That, however, was not the case on Sunday during the annual charity hockey game between New York’s finest from the police and fire department’s.
Instead of the usual pleasantries that accompany a game for a good cause, in the second period, with the game tied 3-3, a bench clearing, no-holds-barred brawl erupted on the ice. (For more up close and personal video of the slugfest, check out Deadspin’s collection of clips.)
The melee resulted in a 25-minute delay, the New York Post reports, “as equipment was picked up and refs made laundry lists of penalized and ejected players.” When the dust settled, the NYPD went on to win the game 8-5. There were no serious injuries, according to the Post.
