Getty Image / Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire
Throwing down the gloves and exchanging blows is part of the game of hockey at every level, from Pee Wee Hockey on up to the NHL. And while the NHL certainly prefers it when players avoid fighting, they only penalize it with a 5-minute major during which substitute players are allowed to replace the fighters in the box.
That gets tricky, of course, with goalie fights. Unless the backup goalie is on the bench and ready to go it is inadvisable for goalies to meet at mid-ice and throw down. But that happened last night when Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky exchanged punches with San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.
The 11 Most Memorable Goalie Fights in NHL History
In honor of the NHL’s latest goalie fight between Sergei Bobrovsky and Alex Nedeljkovic, and recognizing that since it happened last night many of you might not have seen it yet, we are going to list 11 of the most memorable goalie fights from most recent to oldest. Staring on January 19th and going all the way back to 1987.
1. Sergei Bobrovsky vs Alex Nedeljkovic (1/19/26)
The Florida Panthers are the reigning Stanley Cup Champions and Sergei Bobrovsky is an absolute stud, even if he’s the second-best goalie in the state of Florida behind Andrei Vasilevskiy. He was having a tough night on Monday and the Panthers fell 4-1 to the visiting San Jose Sharks.
The Panthers are currently 7th in the Atlantic Division and evidently feeling frustration. There’s nothing quite like a goalie fight to turn things around in the locker room, right?
2. Ray Emery vs Braden Holtby (11/1/13)
This became an instant classic brawl. Philly’s Ray Emery versus Washington’s Braden Holtby on November 1st, 2013. It all started with Wayne Simmonds and Tom Wilson exchanging blows before Ray Emery skated across the ice to throw down. Holtby got knocked down but he got up again. Then he got knocked down again.
3. Rick DiPietro vs Brent Johnson (2/2/11)
Islanders versus Penguins on February 2nd, 2011. Rick DiPietro was the clear instigator here, shaking his gloves off as he slowly skated to mid-ice puffing up his chest and getting ready, goading Pittsburgh’s Brent Johnson into meeting him out there.
Rick got what he asked for and then some as DiPietro found himself laying on his back on the ice within moments. He got rocked.
4. Carey Price vs Tim Thomas (2/9/11)
Carey Price versus Tim Thomas, Montreal versus Boston, it all went down on February 9th, 2011. The action began behind Montreal’s net before Tim Thomas showed up to exchange blows with Price. They then skated back to center ice under the watchful eye of the refs who let them go at it as the entire arena watched on in awe.
This game just a week after the one above. That was a FANTASTIC time to be a fan of goalie fights.
5. Ray Emery vs Martin Biron (2/22/07)
Now we are starting to go back in time a bit but the quality of the video is still good, for now. On February 22, 2007, Ottawa’s Ray Emery and Buffalo’s Martin Biron went at it.
Things started when Sabres co-captain Chris Drury took a huge cut on his forehead and was helped off the ice. At that point, both sides went at it. Everyone on the ice was throwing blows. Top notch stuff here. Hockey fighting at its finest.
6. Chris Osgood vs. Patrick Roy (4/1/98)
On April Fool’s Day 1998, the Colorado Avalanche faced the Detroit Red Wings and a goalie fight for the record books went down. Chris Osgood versus Patrick Roy exceeded all expectations from two greats.
Even though the Red Wings won 2-0 that night, this game is really only remembered for the goalies coming to blows because of how rare such an occurrence is.
7. Patrick Roy vs Mike Vernon (3/26/97)
That’s
HHoFer Patrick ROY
🆚
HHoFer (to be) Mike VERNONto you allhttps://t.co/pG9NVDiFhh
1997 MAR 26 • #GoAvsGo #LGRW pic.twitter.com/TpQ3DRp2PL— HockeyFights.com (@hockeyfights) June 22, 2023
Right back on the list is Patrick Roy versus Mike Vernon. This went down on March 26, 1997 and as far as I can tell it was the first time Patrick Roy threw the gloves off in an NHL game. Roy got the best of Vernon, in my humble opinion, ending up on top of him and having to be peeled off by the referees. The mismatch in size here is wild!
8. Garth Snow vs Steve Shields (5/3/97)
On May 3, 1997, the Flyers were facing the Sabres on the road when goalies Garth Snow and Steve Shields threw down. Philly had a target on its back that season as a ‘team to beat’ and would eventually finish as Stanley Cup runner-ups to Detroit, which might’ve fanned the flames of anger from Buffalo in this game. Unfortunately, the video quality is deteriorating as we go back further in time…
9. Felix Potvin vs Ron Hextall (11/10/96)
Rarely is a goalie fight just a goalie fight. I’m hard-pressed to recall an instance that didn’t involve most if not all of the skaters on the ice in the mix. Such was the case on November 10, 199t when Felix Potvin took on Ron Hextall while Wendel Clark threw down with Daniel Lacroix in this Leafs-Flyers matchup.
10. Corey Schwab vs Tommy Soderstrom (12/9/95)
In honor of that great Panthers/Sharks goalie scrap, I present, Corey Schwab beating down Tommy Soderstrom. 12/9/1995. This whole sequence is beautiful. Billy Guerin was an absolute animal. What a time to be a Devils fan. A great moment during the glory years. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/DjiAWJ0J1E
— Runnin With The Devils (@RunninWithNJD) January 20, 2026
31 years ago! That’s when Tommy Soderström of the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils goalie Corey Schwab threw down on December 9, 1995. Feels like a lifetime ago. This action also included Bill Guerin going at it against Rich Pilon.
11. Ron Hextall vs Alain Chevrier (1/24/87)
Alain Chevrier fought Ron Hextall at the conclusion of the #NJDevils’ 4-3 win over the Flyers on Jan. 24, 1987. (This was the Devils’ first tilt following the 334 Club game.)
pic.twitter.com/Nca3kitbUI— New Jersey Devils History (@DevilsOfYore) January 30, 2024
This is one of the oldest goalie fights we can find a clip of on YouTube. On January 24, 1987, Ron Hextall and Alain Chevrier threw the gloves off during the Flyers-Devils matchup.
Benches clear. Hextall absolutely dominated and humiliated Chevrier. It has all of the makings of a legendary goalie fight in the NHL.
And that wraps up the list! Did we miss any you think should have been included here? You can email me anytime to cass@brobible.com and let me know your suggestions. Or hit up the Facebook comments with feedback. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this walk back through time and be sure to share it with someone you know who would appreciate this content!