Tampa Bay Lightning: Top 5 Fights Of The 2015-16 Season
By Hans Nieborg
5. Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings
Date: April 17, 2016
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brian Boyle vs. Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader
This one is significant, but it isn’t in the same class as the others because it didn’t draw any penalties. You see, this altercation falls squarely within the realm of intimidation and calls out for recognition.
Tampa Bay Lightning
On April 17th, 2016, it’s the game after the gloves were dropped by Mike Blunden and Justin Abdelkader fight, so once again the Tampa Bay Lightning were taking on the Detroit Red Wings.
The buzzer sounded at the end the third period, signaling that the game is over. You would have thought things had come to an end but the next thing the fans knew, the gloves and equipment began raining down on the ice as suddenly, several grappling matches broke out along both benches.
At the same time, Brian Boyle and Justin Abdelkader have grabbed each other’s jerseys the hash marks by Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek, and Boyle is goading Abdelkader into fighting with him.
Abdelkader is refusing to fight back, explaining to the nearby referee that he has tape on his hand as a result of his previous fight with Blunden (above), so he didn’t want to be suspended if he fights Boyle.
The ref then separates them and Boyle skates back to the Lightning bench, but on his way in he mocks Abdelkader by tucking his hands under his armpits and flaps his arms like a chicken.
That pretty much showed the hockey world what was on Boyle’s mind and interestingly, Abdelkader didn’t seem to be as much of a factor in subsequent games against the Lightning. The fists didn’t fly in this one but sometimes, making your point may very well be the thing that helps to shut your opponent down.
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