Goalie Fight Chaos Erupts As Sergei Bobrovsky Charges 200 Feet To Defend Panthers

I wasn't watching Monday night's Florida Panthers game against the San Jose Sharks, but at some point in the evening, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. My arms started to tingle, and my heart rate picked up.

I knew that one of two things was happening: it was a heart attack, or my goalie fight sense was tingling.

Fortunately, it was the latter.

And what a goalie fight it was.

A Panthers-Sharks game isn't normally one you'd have circled on the calendar, but Monday night's game got heated. It started early, with Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais demolishing Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk — who made his season debut after returning from injury — with a massive open ice hit.

Throughout the second period, there were a handful of roughing minors, but things got wild in the third after Desharnais tripped Florida forward Mackie Samoskevich. This drew a reaction from the Panthers, with Evan Rodriguez hitting Desharnais hard into the boards in retaliation.

This drew all skaters into the corner, as well as Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, who came in throwing punches.

Big. Mistake.

From nearly 200 feet away, Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky saw this and decided it was time to even things up.

I believe Bobrovsky is very well-liked by his teammates, but even more so now.

With the fans too. I mean, look at the pop he got when he returned to the ice (even though in every previous goalie fight I can remember, both combatants got the ol' heave-ho);

He did the exact thing you want your goalie to do in that situation, especially when you're down 3-1, and that's to come barreling down the ice and start dancing with the other goalie.

Sure, Nedeljkovic fed him a couple of good ones and wound up on top, but, like giving someone a ten-dollar Subway gift card for their birthday, it's the thought that counts.

After all of that, the Panthers ended up with a power play because of the initial Desharnais trip.

However, they failed to capitalize on it and wound up yielding a late empty-netter to lose this one 4-1.

They could've used a win too, as the two-time defending champs are four points out of the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, the Sharks are one of the surprises of the season and are currently sitting third in the Pacific Division.