After his team took a 4-1 lead in the third period on Sunday, Corpus Christi IceRays Coach Justin Quenneville observed the Texas Tornado changing personnel for the ensuing faceoff at center ice. Enforcer Mico Solarzano hopped over the boards, as did "one of their other meatsticks," he recalled.
Quenneville knew what was coming. Sure enough, Texas forward Skyler Spiller stalked Perry D'Arrisso of the Ice Rays after the draw and then sucker-punched him from behind, sparking an energetic line brawl between the NAHL rivals:
"Oh what a move by Texas … that's brave." Homer announcers rule. That's Corpus Cristi's Rob Lippolis, by the way, who's rather dedicated to his craft.
From Greg Rajan of the Corpus Christi Caller:
"I have absolutely no idea (why it happened)," D'Arrisso said. "I went to the faceoff and (Spiller) didn't say anything to me.
"The puck dropped and I was looking at it the whole time and I turned around and he was coming right me. I just turtled before I got knocked in the face and everybody jumped in."
The bad blood also spilled off the ice, with IceRays general manager Pat Dunn engaging in a shouting match with Tornado coach Tony Curtale and assistant Jason Bloomingburg, who briefly played in Corpus Christi during the IceRays' minor-pro years.
Team Executive Fight would have made up for the frustrating lack of Goalie Fight in that clip.
The brawl resulted in 77 penalty minutes. Here's a fan's-eye view of the fight. Middle fingers?! Hey, calm down you guys. (One NSFW slur at the end of the clip.)