Should College Hockey Allow Fighting??

This past weekend, we saw two players square up at center ice, helmets off for a great tilt. Only issue? The two players play for Arizona State and Alaska Fairbanks and fighting is certainly not allowed in NCAA hockey. 

(Source)- “A brawl with 11 seconds remaining in Friday's game between Arizona State and Alaska, led to eight game disqualifications and, more than likely, further suspensions.

After a relatively minor fracas with 16 seconds remaining led to 30 minutes in penalties, another brawl broke out just a few seconds later, with nearly everyone on the ice participating. In addition, Arizona State's Tucker Ness and Alaska's Dawson Bruneski left the penalty box to tangle in an all-out fight.

The game was stopped at that point, with Alaska leading 3-1.

Ness and Bruneski each received two game disqualifications, which results in an automatic three-game suspension. In addition, two other players from each team — Ethan Szmagaj and Ty Murchison for ASU, and Braden Birnie and Will Hilfiker for Alaska — also received DQs and get an automatic one-game suspension.” (via CollegeHockeyNews.com)

First, I'd like to touch on the fight. Just an awesome tilt start to finish. A bit of a wrestling match, but nonetheless, a good fight. Ness, a sophomore at ASU comes from the USHL, where there is fighting. Bruneski on the other hand, is in his 5th year after playing the previous 4 at UMaine. My guess? this kid was just trying to end is college career with a bang. 

Now - in my previous statement, I said the word “issue”. I’m hard pressed to find the “issue” in what occurred Saturday night at Mullet Arena. The Universities who are liable for the student athletes safety? Ya they probably have an issue with this. But college hockey fans across the world? Ya they see ZERO issue in this at all.

If we have learned anything this past week in the NHL, it's fighting is still alive and well (shoutout Matt Rempe). With College Hockey taking huge steps every year to eventually overtaking the CHL (Sorry Canadians), do we really want these kids coming into the NHL, being expected to fight, and having zero experience? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. 

I want to make one thing super clear too...I don't think College Hockey will ever legalize fighting. For years the argument has been made about college kids switching to visors, and the response has always been the schools will never do it because of the insurance and liability issues. If they won't allow visors, no shot they allow fighting. But honestly, fuck that. Give the people what they want. Give the students what they want. 

Imagine two players from North Dakota and Minnesota just CHUCKING at center ice at the Ralph on a Saturday night in February? Maybe even a Beanpot tilt between BC and BU? How about a UNH vs Maine bench clearer? Look - the rivalries are the best part of college hockey. Teams, fan bases, schools, they legitimately HATE each other. Like actual hate. Not fake, box office hate you see at the pro level. I'm talking drunken, irrational hate and there is plently of that at the NCAA level.  

College Hockey is growing faster than ever, let's capitalize on the momentum and let's let these kids beat the shit out of each other.