One of the wildest brawls in American Hockey League history took place Dec. 11, 2004.
While researching a story on Lowell's professional hockey history, I came across a video of a post-first period melee between the Lowell Lock Monsters and Norfolk Admirals in Norfolk, Va.
I knew quite a bit about the brawl. But one detail from the video caught my one: Trying to play peacemaker was Norfolk assistant coach Bruce Cassidy, now the head coach of the Bruins.
Of course, Cassidy was unsuccessful. Fights were waged all over the ice. Sticks, gloves and jerseys piled up. Before the fights were over, a referee had to be helped off due to a leg injury and a couple of the players were shirtless. The melee started when Lowell head coach Tom Rowe and Norfolk head coach Trent Yawney yelled at each other and then tried to get at one another.
Every time the fighting seemed to stop, another bout would be staged. Future Bruin Shawn Thornton, then of Norfolk, was one of the combatants.
The brawl lasted nearly six minutes and ended only after a spirited bout between Lowell goaltender Cam Ward and his Norfolk counterpart, Michael Leighton. Two interesting things about that night. One, due to a promotion, there were hundreds of Boy Scouts and youth hockey players in the crowd of 5,236. Two, AHL President David Andrews was in attendance.
Both head coaches were suspended for 10 games. Several players were suspended, too, including Lowell's Brantt Myhres, who was banned for eight games.
Lowell was a member of the AHL from 1998-2010.
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