By this time, you’re probably very familiar with the major line brawl that took place in a Sunday night exhibition game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres.
If you’re not, Puck Daddy has a Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Buffalo Sabres Line Brawl FAQ, as well as an update that includes the point of view of Buffalo enforcer John Scott.
There are gonna be times when I miss writing hockey, but “preseason brawl idiocy” sure ain’t one of ’em.
— Jesse Spector (@jessespector) September 23, 2013
As you’re already well aware, one of the participants in the pugilistic exchange was former Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier. His bout with Ryan Miller of the Sabres represented his first NHL fight, though he came close to dropping the gloves blocker and catching glove late in Game 2 of the 2013 Western Conference Finals.
On Monday, several Kings weighed in on their former teammate’s role in the bout. Though it’s not surprising that there was strong support expressed for Bernier, it’s interesting to note that Miller was a Toyota Sports Center regular over the summer and is familiar with many members of the team that took part in the informal skates.
Drew Doughty, on Jonathan Bernier’s fight:
I texted Bernie after, actually, and just told him it was sick. I always knew he wanted to get in a fight, so I was glad to see him do it – and win, too.
Doughty, on if he thought Bernier would get into a fight before Jonathan Quick:
I don’t really know. I think both of them would do really well, actually. I know Quickie – he’s a tough son of a gun, so if he ever got in a fight, I don’t think he’d be losing.
Darryl Sutter, on whether he had watched Bernier’s fight:
Nope, but I heard lots about it. Those French guys beat up the American guy. You can fight in junior. You can’t in college. [Reporter: I didn’t realize he was such a good fighter.] I don’t know if anybody realizes how good a fighter goalies are. [Reporter: They were saying – the Toronto guys were tweeting – that they can finally get rid of the Potvin beating up Hextall back in the day, and put that one up instead. I don’t know about that.] You should talk to Hexy and Potvin and see if they want to try that again. See how Potvin would do this time. He got lucky once.
More Doughty on Jonathan Bernier: “He’s going to be a legend in Toronto now just for that fight. He’s off to a good start.”
— lisa dillman (@reallisa) September 23, 2013
Dillman also wrote about the reactions from Bernier’s former teammates. Click on that link for memorable Jonathan Quick quotes.
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