Pregame warm-ups brawl nearly sparked in ECHL playoff game

The Fort Wayne Komets and the Allen Americans were members of the Central Hockey League before both joined the ECHL. Through happenstance, they haven’t actually faced each other since 2012 before facing off in the ECHL Western Conference Finals this month.

Absence, it appears, has not made their hearts grow fonder. Just, like, nastier.

The Komets and Americans have had a physical series punctuated with a few fights and one that we all kinda wish would have happened: a 36-player brawl during warm-ups that nearly was sparked before cooler heads prevailed.

(Head to the 3:30 mark of this video to check out how it started.)

From Justin Cohn of The Journal Gazette:

The referees, Stephen Reneau and Tyler Puddifant, weren't yet on the ice to see Allen’s Dyson Stevenson fire the puck at an opposing player and Fort Wayne’s Gabriel Beaupre return the favor. Then, Allen’s Spencer Asuchak skated behind Spencer Martin and gouged him with a stick, sending the backup goaltender sprawling to the ice.

What ensued was mostly shouting at center ice but it set the tone for the game.

“Honestly, I think it was (started) on their part,” said Komets captain Jamie Schaafsma, who captained Allen to the ECHL title last season.

“Marty definitely didn’t cross the red line there. You get someone who slewfoots our backup goalie, we’re not just going to stand by. I think that’s garbage.

“You can see them acting like they’re patrolling the red line, like they’re running security there. I think it’s them probably trying to get us off our game and I don’t think it really worked. I think it got everyone more heated to beat these guys, a little more motivated. So we’re not really going to worry about it too much.”

According to Cohn, the ECHL is expected to rule on Tuesday whether any players will be suspended for these pregame antics.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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