2006-2007: Best Playoff Fight Moment

[Merlin401]

One last award I wanted to make is this one. Because we put out the awards at the beginning of the playoffs to maximize traffic, any good fight moments that happen IN the playoffs get ignored. Not that the playoffs have a lot of fight highlights, but this is to celebrate hockey's old-school spirit where that old-school spirit should exist the most.

Nominees

Nashville - San Jose Brawl Apr 13, 2007:
One of the best brawls of the years erupted in game 2 of this heated series, when late in a blowout the Sharks went after Scott Hartnell for a dirty hit the game before. Three fights erupted in one of the better brawls of the season: Ryan Clowe took it to Jordin Tootoo in a good fight, Mike Grier squared off twice with Scott Hartnell, and Scott Hannan fought Jerred Smithson off camera. This was old-school justice the way old-school justice should work: messages sent: 1, instigator penalties issued: 0.
Nashville vs San Jose Apr 13, 2007

Armstrong Hit + McAmmond-Talbot Scrap Apr 15, 2007:
In the contentious Pittsburgh-Ottawa series, Colby Armstrong got in the biggest hit with a monsterous shot on Patrick Eaves that saw him taken out on a stretcher. The already chippy game turned nasty and Talbot and McAmmond ended up squaring off out of the fracas and engaging in quite an entertaining fight to mark the height of intensity in the series.
McAmmond vs Talbot Apr 15, 2007

Brad May Suckerpunches Kim Johnsson Apr 17, 2007:
The eventual Stanley Cup champion Ducks were a team built on toughness all year. Getting blown out for their first loss in the playoffs, the Ducks got rough against the usually passive Wild. Already one fight on the books for the night, Kent Huskins squared off with Adam Hall. Shawn Thornton jumped in and soon it was a brawl, highlighted by Brad May surprising Johnsson with a big right that dropped him and gave him a concussion. The incited the Wild crowd to chant for Boogaard to administer revenge but none was forthcoming. May was suspended 3 games, but the Ducks showed that no one would push them around. It was, for a night, like the Broad Street Bullies reincarnated.
Ducks Wild Brawl Apr 17, 2007

Avery Gets Kovalchuk to Fight Apr 17, 2007:
As the Rangers continued to completely dominate the Thrashers in game 3 of the first round, superstar Ilya Kovalchuk had finally had enough of the frustrating super pest Sean Avery shadowing him. And then, amazingly, he dropped his gloves (kind of), and started flailing away on Avery, bloodying him a bit before Paul Mara jumped in. The rest of the game was thoroughly ruined by the refs giving away misconducts to anyone that moved to keep a 7-0 game in check, but it was a memorable moment nonetheless.
Avery vs Kovalchuk Apr 17, 2007

McClennan Slashes Franzen Apr 21, 2007:
Getting blown out in Game 5 of their first round match-up, the Calgary Flames decided to try bullying and cheap-shotting their softer opponent, the Detroit Red Wings. When the Flames inserted backup goalie Jamie McClennan, he immediately started with the stick work, culminating in a vicious two handed slash to the midsection of Franzen. As Bobby Clarke once said, "If I didn't learn to lay on a two-hander once in a while, I'd never have gotten out of Flin Flon"

My Pick

Though the playoffs got neutered in the second round onward, there was a surprisingly good amount of nasty play the first round leading to many good nominees. Though the May suckerpunch is a symbol of a tough team winning, I still have to go with the Nashville-San Jose Brawl because it was the model of what the NHL should be. There was a reason to fight. There was an opportunity to get revenge. And a mean spirited but perfectly clean brawl broke out to settle the problem the right way.

Past Winners

First time awarded

[Godard17]

best playoff non fight moment, bettman boo'd by the duck faithfuls, , and guess what bettman's reply was, "don't worry i brought a gift with me"

[Iced Kola]

Obviously, the Nashville-San Jose Brawl is going to take this one.

[Joeyxxx]

Mine was Brent Burns winning his first and second hockey fights ever.

[Snipes19]

It's gotta be the San Jose and Nashville brawl.
None of the others had a real "effect", if you know what I mean. The brawl sent a message. Clowe went after Hartnell for his hit on Cheechoo, Clowe fought Tootoo so he would stop pulling his garbage that he pulls every game, Hannan and Griere fought to pump up their team. That brawl had a meaning, and it was fun to watch.

None of the other candidates were exciting or important. With the Pens and Sens, all you had was a big hit (Armstrong on Eaves) and then an uneventful fight. Big deal. With May, he suckerpunched someone. A scrum started, but it wasn't as good as Nashville and San Jose's brawl. With Avery and Kovalchuck, all you had was a normal fight. Once again, big deal. And with the McLennan incident, all you had was a slash and an overreactment from Franzen. So, the only good "playoff fight moment" was the brawl between the Preds and Sharks. Those two teams are starting a big rivalry and it's a good one.

[mr.black]

This should be called 2006-2007 Lecavalier vs. Iginla award: Best Playoff Fight Moment

[UKRedWing]

My vote goes for the best and only brawl of the playoffs.

[Isles4life]

Avery and Kovalchuk would have been better had a certain other Ranger not tried to break it up completely illogically.

[EricGodardfan]

NSH-SJ Brawl.

[metaone525]

No contest here...San Jose brawl
It was just so entertaining to watch
Madness!

[BrianTheAdsFan]

Only brawl of the playoffs...Nashville/San Jose...wish there were more...

[T-Wild76]

I went with May's sucker punch,that was nasty.This lead up to Parros vs Boogy going at it before a game almost.That could have been way worse if every one want at it.