Roaming The Rinks

As a hockey fan I go to games to be entertained.  I can appreciate a great play, whether it be an exciting goal, a spectacular save, or even a simple play such a a team killing off a long 5 on 3.  What really gets me charged however is seeing 2 guys drop the the mitts and buckets and go to war.  I have huge respect for guys who are not only willing to protect their teammates or drop the gloves when needed, but also willing to do battle night after night and season after season.  Fans on New York State's snowy I-81 corridor are blessed to have 2 such guys in their region.  Syracuse Crunch forward Jon "Nasty" Mirasty and Binghamton Senators enforcer Jeremy Yablonski each handle the enforcer duties, and they both do it with a zeal that would make a 10 year old kid on a pond in Canada proud.   The 2 have traded punches 5 times in the last 2 seasons coming into this weekend, with most of these matchups being talked about on hockey fight forums for weeks afterward, and a couple of the scraps being fight of the year canidates.  They met again on friday night in Bingo and did not dissapoint as you can see below:

                      

As usual with these 2 gladiators this was a slugfest.  What makes the matchup more intriguing is that both Nasty and Yabo are from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, an isolated town of 3500 made up mostly of an indian reservation.  There are even reports that the 2 are distant cousins, certainly making summertime get togethers in Meadow Lake a little different than your average backyard barbecue.  Both guys know and relish their role and despite being friends it is all business on the ice.  With a pounding like each guy took you would think it would take a while to top that right?  It depends on how long you think a while is I guess as you can see below. 

                        

That's right they took the show an hour an 15 minutes north to Syracuse on saturday and did it again, this time off the opening faceoff of the game.  You would think stitches to the head from the night before would give Yabo reason to say "not tonight" or the fact that Mirasty has dopped the gloves 14 times already coming into this weekend despite the season being still shy of the halfway point  would give Mirasty justficaton for a well deserved night off.  These guys don't roll that way though.  Heck even if they went at it and just grabbed ahold of each other's jerseys and threw a couple half hearted punches and let the linesmen come in the fans would still be giving them props for going at it 2 nights in a row.  That's not how they do it in Meadow Lake though, and because of each guys willingness and rock hard head, and the wonders of Youtube, hockey fans around the world are winners.  Just like the 7 dwarfs these guys go to work night after night, and continue to provide entertainment for the fans, protection for their teammates, and a spark to their respective benches.  If  were up to me both guys would have been in the NHL a long time ago on heart alone, but neither is getting any younger.   I already have my tickets for the first ever AHL outdoor matchup, as the Crunch and B-Sens will meet again at the New York State Fairgrounds on February 20.  I am sure that as long as they are healthy they will both show up to work to do their jobs.  I doubt you will hear the complaining of "its too cold to fight" or that it will hurt the players hands to fight outdoors like you have heard in previous NHL Whiner, I mean Winter, Classic games.  It will be just another game, and just another opportunity to go to work.   But after this weekend I think both guys can now grab a cold beer and a cold ice pack.  Their alarm clocks will go of soon enough and it will be time to go back to work.