ECHL Netminders Get The Crowd Going With Thrilling Goalie FIght

Few things can get a hockey crowd whipped into a fervor quite like a goalie fight, and that's what a pair of ECHL goalies did for the good hockey fans of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

It happened in a tilt between two ECHL teams, with the ECHL two steps below the NHL with the American Hockey League in between. Think of it as hockey's version of Double-A ball (or in this case, puck).

The Wheeling Nailers — affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins were in Fort Wayne for a pair of games against eh Fort Wayne Komets, the ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers.

This game got testy and with just 33 seconds to play the Komets sealed a win with an empty netter. What followed was some pushing, shoving, and a lot of penalties. Komets goalie Ryan Fanti and Nailers netminder Brad Barone decide to partner up and have a dance.

If you read the NHL Weekly Awards, you might remember that we saw Barone two-hand a dude who bumped into him just a couple of weeks ago. We can now confirm that he is not one to be messed with.

However, this bout was the Ryan Fanti show.

Barone came into the game late in the second in relief of starter Tommy Nappier. That is to say, he was a bit fresher than Fanti.

However, it was the Komets goaltender who got in the first shot. He connected with a left jab that Barone simply did not see coming. The Nailers goalie dodged a few other quick jabs before Fanti connected with a right hook that I think came from several counties over.

After that, the former UMD Bulldog landed a couple more rights including some absolutely brutal uppercuts, before wrestling Barone to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum ice.

This Was The First Game In A Pair of Back-To-Back Games For The Komets And Nailers

Fanti's teammates mobbed him as he went off to take an early shower. If you take a look at this fan-shot video of the fight, you can see the Komets players were losing their minds.

There was a lot of bad blood in this one. If you need statistical evidence of this, how about 162 combined penalty minutes?

Something tells me neither side is going to forget what went down any time soon. They're scheduled to play each other Saturday night. Just 24 hours after going at it.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle