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Fight? Michigan Tech Assistant Hockey Coach Tells Minnesota Head Coach to “Come On Over”

You don’t see fights in NCAA college hockey very often, largely because the players wear helmets and full masks, but also because a fighting major is a mandatory 1 game suspension and teams don’t like to lose a player for a game. In tonight’s game between the Minnesota Gophers and the Michigan Tech Huskies, things got a little testy after the Gophers scored a power-play goal. Frustrated with the score and pushing and shoving in front of the net, the Huskies’ Steven Seigo ripped off goal-scorer Jake Hansen’s helmet and got a shot in on his head. Following the ensuing faceoff, Minnesota’s Seth Helgeson and Michigan Tech’s Carl Nielsen got into an actual remove the helmets and throw some punches fight, for which they were both sent to the dressing room:

Normally that would be the end of the entertainment, especially that late in the 3rd period, but at some point as the officials were discussing penalties and the benches traded insults, Huskies’ Assistant Coach Bill Muckalt stood on the bench and delivered a profane message to Minnesota Head Coach Don Lucia, who answered with some NSFW language of his own. Gophers’ Assistant Coach Grant Potulny also had his own message for Muckalt, forcing the Linesman to actually get between the benches to settle everyone down:

Although it appeared the coaches and teams would not shake hands, new Michigan Tech Head Coach Mel Pearson (who was not involved in the screaming match) managed to get the coaches to briefly shake hands, leading to another brief but harmless discussion between Muckalt and Potulny. The two teams then lined up in one of hockey’s best traditions, and shook hands. As noted, the Gophers eventually won the game 6-2, scoring 4 unanswered goals to break a 2-2 tie and earn a series split. Fortunately, maybe for everyone, these two teams will not see each other until possibly meeting in the WCHA Final Five series in March.