Old Time Hockey: Rockford-Wolves Game Erupts Into Bench-Clearing Brawl
By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 18, 2013 1:40PM
The final four seconds of Sunday night’s game between the Chicago Wolves and Rockford Ice Hogs broke down into a bench-clearing brawl that resulted in over two hours of penalty minutes being assessed and motivation for both teams when they close out their season series in Rockford next month.
During the final seconds of Rockford’s 2-1 win at Allstate Arena, Chicago’s Guillaume Desbiens checked Rockford’s Ben Smith through the door of the Ice Hogs’ bench. Several Rockford players began piling on Desbiens while he was down, sparking the brawl that eventually found Chicago defenseman Jim Vandermeer entering the Rockford bench and throwing punches.
Makes one wistful for the days of Toe Blake and Eddie Shore. Digressing, here is the full breakdown of penalties, via the AHL's website.
Penalties
1 - CHI Gordon, 3:39 - Tripping, 2 min (PP)
1 - RFD Clendening, 5:54 - Interference, 2 min (PP)
1 - RFD Brookbank, 9:41 - Roughing, 2 min
1 - CHI Desbiens, 9:41 - Roughing, 2 min
1 - CHI Desbiens, 9:41 - Roughing, 2 min (PP)
1 - CHI Longpre, 15:47 - Roughing, 2 min (PP)
1 - CHI Connauton, 19:46 - Cross-checking, 2 min (PP)
2 - RFD Dahlbeck, 8:28 - Holding the stick, 2 min (PP)
2 - CHI Davies, 12:10 - Interference, 2 min (PP)
2 - CHI Vandermeer, 14:01 - Cross-checking, 2 min (PP)
2 - RFD Beach, 19:06 - Boarding, 2 min
2 - CHI Polasek, 19:06 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Lalonde, 6:15 - Slashing, 2 min (PP)
3 - RFD Stanton, 10:42 - Delay of game, 2 min (PP)
3 - RFD Lalonde, 12:40 - Cross-checking, 2 min (PP)
3 - CHI Haydar, 19:47 - Tripping, 2 min (PP)
3 - RFD Flick, 19:56 - Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.4) 10 min
3 - RFD Flick, 19:56 - Game misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.5(i)) 10 min
3 - RFD Lavin, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Lavin, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Morin, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Morin, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Pirri, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Pirri, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Pirri, 19:56 - Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.4) 10 min
3 - RFD Stanton, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Stanton, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - RFD Stanton, 19:56 - Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.4) 10 min
3 - CHI Desbiens, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Desbiens, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Desbiens, 19:56 - Misconduct, 10 min
3 - CHI DiDiomete, 19:56 - Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.4) 10 min
3 - CHI DiDiomete, 19:56 - Game misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.5(i)) 10 min
3 - CHI Jensen, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Jensen, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Jensen, 19:56 - Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.4) 10 min
3 - CHI Joslin, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Joslin, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Joslin, 19:56 - Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.4) 10 min
3 - CHI Miller, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Miller, 19:56 - Roughing, 2 min
3 - CHI Miller, 19:56 - Misconduct - Unsportsmanlike conduct, (75.4) 10 min
3 - CHI Polasek, 19:56 - Game misconduct - Leaving the bench, (70.6) 10 min
Wolves coach Scott Arniel told the Tribune after the game the brawl was typical of Rockford, which leads the AHL in penalty minutes, and that they were sending the game tape to the league office for review. Curiously, the two teams and the brawl have connections to one of the NHL's most intense rivalries. The Wolves are the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, while Rockford is the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate.
Remember when there was a time the Wolves could easily vie with the Blackhawks for media attention in town? Now they need something like this to get on the radar.