While watching several hockey games during the Olympics, I had a nagging sense that something was different. I finally figured it out; there were no fights! The majority of these players are from NHL teams, but yet they were able to play three periods without a fight breaking out. There were hard hits and bone-jarring checks, but no fist-cuffs.
Do not hockey fans expect, perhaps even feel entitled to, a few "good" fights in the course of the game? Are not fights necessary to keep the fans interested and maintain an audience? Apparently not. The television audience, both in the US and Canada, set all sorts of records. The attraction was well-played hockey. Most of us were not even aware of the lack of fighting until we made an effort to determine what was different.
Perhaps, the Olympic experience will place the NHL on notice; fighting is not a necessary to attract fans.
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