‘Deca Dance Club’ – Tie Domi vs Rob Ray
Welcome to another edition of the Deca Dance Club. Last week, the legends Bob Probert and Stu Grimson got the best seat in the house, and justifiably so. Right behind the legends: Rob Ray and Tie Domi. These two sluggers have battled 13 times and were never afraid to stand-and-trade. Whether it was in Winnipeg, Toronto or Buffalo, these dancers were in a league of their own when it came to showmanship. Both these ‘Deca Dance Club’ members always made sure they gave the fans a show and always played up to the cheering crowd. During their careers, these warriors tallied over 3000 penalty minutes and over 200 fights each. So, please enjoy 10 dances between this iconic duo.
Tie Domi vs Rob Ray
1st dance – February 10, 1993 – 1st period – 3:09
Tie Domi may have only been in the Manitoba capital for a few seasons, but it didn’t take him long to endear himself to the fans. So when Teemu Selanne set the rookie-goal scoring record during the 1992-93 season, most fans expected Teemu to be on the subsequent season’s opening-day program. Wrong! It was Domi. Rightfully so, the ‘Tie and Teemu’ chants were a constant in the Winnipeg Arena: one broke records and the other broke noses. And on that brutally cold night in February, Domi and Ray stepped on stage for their first dance together. The two heavyweights exchanged a few words at the faceoff and started their dance routine minutes into the game. Don’t tell Winnipeg but judges gave the fight to Ray as he landed a few bombs on Domi. As Domi and Ray skated to the box you could hear fans chanting a familiar chant for the Windsor native during his time with the Jets: ‘Dommmmiiii… Dommmmmmiiiii… Dommmmmmmiiiii!’ While Domi was able to get Ray pressed up against the glass, Ray’s 2-inch reach advantage helped him keep the fiery Domi at an arm’s length. Neither gladiator looked phased as they both grinned ear-to-ear on their familiar skate to the penalty box, likely because they knew their rivalry was just getting started and couldn’t wait to dance again.
2nd dance – March 07, 1993 – 3rd period – 11:10
If you only tuned in for the first 10 seconds of this fight, you’d think it was ‘Domi-Domination,’ however the ‘Rayzor’ just needed a little bit of time to get warmed up. Domi landed a flurry of punches to start the fight but Ray was clearly waiting for his opportunity to pounce. It’s not exactly the rope-a-dope method, but Ray certainly let Domi punch himself out of this fight – after the first 10 seconds, it was all Ray. Domi was able to land a few jabs near the end but, once he lost his balance, Ray rained down rights until the two ended up in a clench, which gave the referees a chance to end the battle. Can you imagine? It’s hard for the average fan to imagine what it would be like to throw a flurry of punches, let alone getting punched…on skates. The experiment? Try punching a heavy bag as hard as you can for 2 minutes, not easy eh? Now, at the same time imagine having to dodge haymakers from Domi or Ray. Personally, I get goosebumps just imagining it. Fortunate for Winnipeg and Buffalo fans, it was only a month before they got the chance to watch these showmen dance again.
3rd dance – November 19, 1993 – 2nd period – 6:50
The major takeaway from this fight? Rob Ray had no problem being shirtless, anywhere, anytime. The announcers joked that Ray may have had a post-playing career working for the Chippendales because he was able to undress in a matter of seconds. Giving his opponent less to grab onto was a sure-fire way to gain an advantage and this refusal to tie-down equipment was a strategy used by Probert, Ray and other enforcers. Judgement aside, when you get into a fight, you need every possible advantage at your disposal and, while it didn’t do much for Ray in this fight, it definitely didn’t hinder him. The two got into a heated exchange in the penalty box because Domi took exception to how fast Ray’s jersey came off and the punches to the back of his head. Ray taunted Domi with the ‘0 and 3’ sign to remind him that he was winless in their dances is a hilarious and iconic hockey moment. So, while this wasn’t this duo’s best dance, it was significant. The game had been a physical one and Domi had tried to draw Ray into taking a penalty by faking dropping his gloves. After that stunt Ray took exception and made sure they got their fight in. This contentious game saw over 30 penalties and the Sabres shut out the Jets 6-0. To add salt to the wound, Dale ‘Ducky’ Hawerchuk, who was traded a few years prior after being allegedly on the decline, netted a goal against his former club. With this, one thing for certain was that the rivalry between Domi and Ray was in no way declining. Instead, after their chat in the penalty box, another dance was undoubtedly on the horizon.
4th dance – January 05, 1996 – 1st period – 8:42
When Domi asked to be traded from Winnipeg, Pat Burns pounced on the opportunity to bring the ‘bald-headed’ enforcer to the Ontario capital. Similar to his time in Winnipeg, it didn’t take long to hear the, ‘Dommmmmiiiiii, Dommmmmmiiiiii, Dommmmmmiiiiiii’ chants reign from the rafters of Maple Leaf Gardens. The less than two-hour drive from Toronto to Buffalo meant a lot of travelling Leafs’ fans made the trip that Sunday, expecting a good show. They weren’t disappointed. The scrap starts after Domi took exception to Ray’s hit on Paul DiPietro in the opening period. The duo began their familiar dance at mid-ice and Ray landed 2 quick rights that sent Domi to the ice. Fortunately for the fans that made that drive, Domi was able to regain his footing before the referees jumped in. Before trading a couple jabs, Domi landed two quick rabbit punches that clearly caught Ray off guard. It then looks like Domi tried to skate off to regain himself against the boards, but Ray didn’t’ let the fight end there. With his jersey draped over his shoulders, Ray was able to turn Domi and land a few right hands… we have to also give credit to Domi for continuing to battle and landing a few left overhands that eventually got Ray’s head into a compromising position. These two were absolute warriors! Before eventually landing a huge right hook to Domi’s jaw, Ray let off a few body shots to help avoid Domi’s uppercut. While refs were finally able to jump-in, it was not before Ray was shirtless and skating to the penalty box. Domi mocked Ray with the ‘speed bag’ gesture because of the flurry of rabbit punches he delivered at the beginning of the fight… this duo always brought showmanship. Judges would have had a tough time scoring this fight but, judging by the cheers of the fans, they didn’t care – they just enjoyed the show.
5th dance – February 10, 1996 – 1st period 16:26
There seems to be a pattern to Domi and Ray’s dance routine. They tend to start off chatting at the faceoff (I would love to know what they’re saying), accompanied by a casual head nod – an acknowledgement of the dance – which is followed by a routine that is mostly performed near middle ice. This fight was a classic ‘Domi and Ray’ dance. The warriors threw absolute bombs when they stood-and-traded that evening in Toronto. Although many of these connections didn’t land, this duo had no problem putting all of their power behind every punch. It should be noted that the second Ray’s jersey came off he was able to throw a couple huge right hands, completely inhibited. As they skated to the penalty box, Domi mocked Ray about him being shirtless…again. The Leafs’ enforcer was clearly getting agitated about how fast Ray’s jersey came off and had reason to complain – he wasn’t the only one. The NHL eventually stepped in to create Rule 46.13 – aka, ‘The Rob Ray Rule’ that states “a player who deliberately takes off their jersey or modifies their jersey shall be given a two-minute unsportsmanlike penalty and a game misconduct.” The rule also stresses that a player must have their jersey ‘tied-down’ to avoid having it taken off their torso. In hindsight, this rule should have been implemented years ago, but to be fair, enforcers are smart people who will continue to try to gain any possible advantage they can to be successful. The Sabres were loaded with talented fighters during the mid 90’s so Buffalo fans weren’t strangers to some good tilts. Considering it was the Hockey night in Canada game, overall this dance performance fell short, but fans knew these warriors would make sure they delivered an entertaining bout in their next dance.
6th dance – November 21, 1996 – 1st period 2:21
The Sabres had just moved to Marine Midland Arena. They had just unveiled their brand new jerseys (which I think looked pretty slick compared to some other 90s team jerseys) and had the eventual league MVP, Mr. Dominik Hašek, in their crease. In 1996, things were starting to look up for Buffalo fans and nothing got them out of their seats like a dance between the familiar foes. This night, these two entertainers gave the fans a show with this minute-long fight that was amplified by Rick Jeanneret’s legendary, “ooooooooh and what a right from Ray!” Before they began trading blows, the two heavyweights sized each other up for a brief moment and Domi flashed his classic grin. Until Ray was finally able to rip Domi’s helmet off, several punches landed to the other’s helmet. This is when they both began switching hands and the evolution of these enforcers had shown they couldn’t afford to be one-trick-ponies. They not only had to be constantly studying their opponent’s tendencies but make sure they had the proper tools in their arsenal to capitalize. The dance routine between these two had clearly evolved as both had obviously analyzed the other’s tendencies from their previous 5 battles. The Buffalo fans didn’t care what the routine looked like, they just knew that, when Domi and the Maple Leafs came to town, they were in for a show. This fight would be a jumpstart into a memorable season for the Sabres, which included their first divisional crown in 16 years. Unfortunately, they fell short in the 2nd round of the playoffs to a loaded Philadelphia Flyers team. Regardless, if you judged this fight while listening to it on mute you might give a slight edge to Ray. But, listen to it with Rick Jeanneret’s infamous call? It becomes a clear-cut win for Ray.
7th dance – February 25, 1998 – 1st period – 13:50
Wow. This fight was an absolute beauty. Domi got his wish when Ray was finally unable to get his jersey off. As a result, the former Cornwall Royals star spent half the fight unable to see, likely wishing things were how they used to be – that he could be shirtless in moments. Domi was able to dominate for the majority of the fight, but there was no quit in Ray and when he was finally able to get his head loose he landed a few solid shots before the linesman could jump in. The saving grace for Ray was that he was able to keep his helmet on when he was unable to see. Otherwise, it could have been devastating for the Sabres enforcer. Although the 40th annual Grammy awards were taking place that Wednesday night, the best sound of the night was Rick Jeanerett’s “Ray and Domi smoking each other with punches.” The man was right, they were letting off absolute bombs and, as much as they were entertainers, they were constant professionals. The two had a playful chuckle and a hug before they were escorted to the penalty box. The arena was deafening during this tilt and it brings back nostalgia of when fans were able to hammer on the glass as their warriors battled it out on-the-ice. So, the previous dances had been more often than not been won by Ray, but not this scrap. This one goes to ‘Tugger.’
8th dance – October 30, 1998 – 1st period – 4:05
They say that true food connoisseurs must cleanse their palate in order to properly enjoy the true flavours of the dish. For fight connoisseurs, enjoying this duo’s dance routine to the max only requires a few months off and two-fights in a night. With minimal punches being thrown before Ray tackled Domi to the ice, the first tilt looked like more of a wrestling match than their previous performances. The love-loss between this two was never more apparent than when Ray had to give Domi a couple shots while he was on the ice. These two never missed a chance to punch. The two rivals were only 10-games into the season before they picked up where they left off and, while this tilt did get the fans out of their seats, these two showmen knew it wasn’t the response they wanted or were used to. They wanted the fans to be louder than they’ve ever been before… so what else could they do but scrap again 8 minutes later.
9th dance – October 30, 1998 – 1st period – 12:27
The fans got one hell of an encore that night in Marine Midland Arena. The two gladiators began trading huge blows as they circled around the Sabres’ blueline. The start was all Domi as he was able to land several left hooks and looked as if was able to connect on a vicious uppercut. Once again, Ray didn’t quit. The momentum shifted when Ray started switching hands and was able to free himself from Domi’s grapple, allowing him free range with his reach advantage. At the 19 second mark you could see Domi trying to maintain his distance and, perhaps pondering what his next move would be, when Ray landed a straight right jab right between Domi’s eyes. Visibly stunning the Leafs’ enforcer, he was on the ice within seconds. Thankfully, after exchanging such massive punches, both men were able to skate off. They knew their dance routine at the start of the period wasn’t up to par, so they redeemed themselves and more to the Buffalo crowd by delivering another entertaining bout. While, the Sabres would go on to win the game 4-1, that’s not what was getting played on SportsCenter that night. It was this tilt on repeat. One can only assume that the there weren’t many kids dressing up as Tie Domi in Buffalo the night before Halloween, but I bet there were quite a few wearing #28 in Toronto.
The Deca Dance – February 17, 1999 – 2nd period – 2:53
Tie Domi has a famous quote – “Let me fight your toughest guy; if I win, I get a spot on your team.” There is no denying that both Domi and Ray relished the opportunity to fight their opposition’s best. In the modern-day NHL, there has become a trend of ‘fake tough guys’ who pick and choose their battles and often chose the course of least resistance. However, back when these two were doing their dance routines they had to fight the toughest guy on every team, every single night. With those expectations demanded of them, these two legendary enforcers played over 15 seasons in the NHL. This isn’t just impressive, it’s admirable. The ‘Deca Dance’ for these two was just like some of their previous routines – raucous crowd, huge punches and tough to judge a fight that ended with a smile. Back to 99′ – knowing that his team was down 2 and in need of a jumpstart, Ray initiated the fight with several slashes to Domi’s pads. Likely not wanting to put his team in a bad position considering their commanding lead, there seemed to be some hesitancy from Domi. But Domi knew when Ray wanted to dance, he couldn’t say no. The two start trading jabs around the Buffalo blueline but the moment both players were able to shake free of their elbow pads they were able to really start launching bombs. Domi must have felt like he was fighting Ray from a decade earlier because his signature shirtless skate to the penalty box reappeared. There is a mutual respect that resonates not only amongst enforcers but hockey players in general. Despite their competitive wills to win or knock each other out, they always try and do it with class. The ‘Deca Dance’ between these two ended with a playful headtap from Domi and a coy smile from Ray. They may have been bitter rivals but that didn’t mean they didn’t respect each other. The highlight reel of these two warriors cannot be rivaled. They always put their teammates and the club first, and always made sure the fans left with hoarse voices and an adrenaline rush they could only find at a good ol’ hockey game.
