A forty minute drive down Interstate 95 will lead you to O’Brien Ice Rink, in Woburn, where the Junior Maples and the Dorchester Crusaders hockey teams cleared the benches on October 12th. 

It began when a big hit from number 17 on Dorchester sent Triton junior Greg Muse flying to the ice just ten minutes into the game. The Junior Maples, a team that consists of 18 members of the Triton Vikings hockey team, came to the defense of their teammate, and got into the face of the Crusaders. 

“Greg got a little angry after getting a dirty hit,” said Triton senior Lucas Tinkham. “Greg started shoving him and then the Dorchester kid started hitting Greg and the boys didn’t like that.”

The Junior Maples came into the game with a winning record of 3-1-1, facing Dorchester who was 4-1-1. However, when both teams left the rink, their records stayed the same as the ref shouted at both teams to get off the ice ten minutes into the first period, as the game got out of control. Both teams left  with nothing but built up anger, and black and blue bruises. 

It all began when the  puck dropped at 8 p.m. and the game was on. Each team seemed to have gotten their fair share of chances but neither team could finish. 

As the game went on, it seemed to be getting more physical as the hits and shoving progressed, even after the whistle. However,  the scoreboard still read 0-0. 

Then, ten minutes into the game there was a gruesome hit by the biggest kid on Dorchester, laying his shoulder into the chest of the smallest kid on the Maples, Muse. After being stunned on the ground for a few seconds, Muse got up and went over to number 17 where the two  exchanged some words. 

As this was happening, senior Lucas Tinkham went up to the offending Crusader player and got in his face. Backing him up were the rest of the Maples on the ice. As the tensions grew between both teams, another Dorchester player came over to the altercation and swung his fist, connecting with Tinkham’s temple. Bodies started flooding the ice, and as one examined the benches, there was not a soul in sight. 

Exactly 11 minutes and 48 seconds into the game, mayhem broke out beginning at center ice, fists were flying, bodies were falling, and screams of colorful language echoed through the rink. Punch after punch, it seemed like it would never end as the fight lasted about a minute and thirty seconds. The lone referee stood at the other end of the ice  and watched as he was outnumbered by the 35 infuriated players. 

As the chaos seemed to just keep growing, Maples coach Paul Kohan and the Crusaders coach ran onto the ice, grabbing kids off each other one by one. As each player went back to the bench, there remained  nothing but sticks and gloves scattered across the ice. 

“Everyone in the stands was very shocked,” said Triton junior Ava Johnson, who was at the game.. “No one was really expecting that. There were people walking into the game as the fight was happening, so people were just very confused.” 

After the coaches settled things down, the referee ordered both teams off the ice and the game to be discontinued. Parents looked astonished, as their sons headed back to their locker rooms. While each team walked in the rink with only one loss, nothing changed as they left. Instead of the Maples and Crusaders gaining points, they gained a new rival. 

Feelings during and after the fight were different among some of the players.

“Well I was pumped up loving it.” Said Tinkham. “Even after I was still pumped up. My adrenaline was through the roof.”

Triton senior Alex Pasquini’s feelings were a little different.

“It felt good in the moment, but after I felt really guilty because now I can’t play.”

It didn’t just stop there. The Valley Hockey League heard about the event and scheduled a meeting with the coaches a few days after the fight. The weight on the Maples shoulders was heavy, not knowing what was going to happen. That is, until after their next practice which occurred on Thursday Oct. 17th, when their coach and former Triton hockey player, Paul Kohan, announced that he would inform everyone on the decision after practice. The players got back to the locker room and sat in silence as their coach walked in. He wasn’t the coach at that moment, he was the bearer of bad news as suspensions were tossed through the room. Three players were suspended for six games, and six players were suspended for three games. The Maples coach was even suspended for two games. Although it was not publicized,  it is said that Dorchester received similar suspensions throughout their team as well. 

Talks about how the VHL and the ref handled the situation sparked around the team. When asked if they thought the situation was handled correctly.

“Yea I think they did, they maybe could’ve given us a little less of a suspension than 3 games for protecting our teammate. But other than that yeah,” said Tinkham.

A fellow teammate seemed to have a contrasting opinion. 

“I don’t think they handled it correctly, the ref just kinda stood there and watched.” Said Muse. 

If this was any other sport would the ref have stepped in? Leaving us with one question. Is fighting in hockey more normalized than other sports?