Numbers Watching on a Busy Night

The NHL had a near full slate of games last night and a good number of fights as well. Fight numbers, which started off with a bang then simmered a bit, have now leveled off. Numbers are just about where they were two seasons ago.

Central Division foes for the final season, the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets had the current highest-rated fight of the night when Andrew Shaw and Matt Calvert dropped the mitts. The bout was fought as a locked out, free swinging affair.

Three fights resulted from three big hits. Colorado Avalanche winger Chuck Kobasew was crushed along the wall by Minnesota Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck and defenseman Justin Falk. Kobasew engaged Clutterbuck afterwards in a long, grappling affair. Nashville Predators Kevin Klein was ran to the ditch by Vancouver Canucks forward Steve Pinizzotto, which prompted the mitts to come off briefly. Finally, Pacific division rivals Los Angeles and San Jose had the gloves fall when Andrew Desjardins railroaded Colin Fraser, prompting teammate Jake Muzzin to step in and engage Desjardins in a decent scrap.