Post-Olympic Fights of the Week

For those who missed hockey — rather, fighting in hockey — during the Olympic break, the Battle of Alberta on March 1 re-introduced the fisticuffs with a heavy blow. The Oilers' rookie heavyweight Luke Gazdic knocked out the Flames' Kevin Westgarth after a rather one-sided exchange of haymakers. The two heavyweights squared off at center ice midway through the first period at Rexall Place. Westgarth opened up the exchange with a pair of punches, but Gazdic took over and landed several hard rights that surely would have dropped a lesser fighter. Westgarth looked to recover and momentarily tied up Gazdic, but Gazdic worked himself free and ultimately landed two haymakers that put Westgarth down to the ice.

The Flames' training staff helped Westgarth to the locker room. Westgarth did not return to the game, and has not played since. He is being held out for concussion-like symptoms.

Jay Rosehill and Frazer McLaren also had a very active exchange this past weekend in Saturday's Flyers–Maple Leafs game in Toronto. Both fighters, not particularly known for their defense, swung for the fences. Both heavyweights took one to give one in a fight that leaned in McLaren's favor at the start. McLaren gained the early edge, but Rosehill, probably through sheer force of adrenaline, evened up the fight with a couple huge rights of his own. Rosehill took over from there and smoothly switched to his left to topple McLaren to the ice. Another great fight from both players.

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