Best fight of the year to date? Tucker vs. Ruutu?
Once again the Pens faced the Leafs, and once again the Pens rolled the Leafs. Evgeni Malkin scored his first hat trick, joining Jordan Staal as Pens players to score their first career hat trick versus the Leafs. [Here’s to Sykora, holding the longest hattrickless drought getting one next game.]
But the REAL story of this game was the awesome fight between Darcy Tucker and Jarkko Ruutu.
Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRiLdkOI-KA 2mins 26seconds
or: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apaCdBrBFe4 1min 39 secondsMany commentators, especially in Canada, have criticized Jarkko Ruutu for his agitating antics and lack of dropping the gloves. Until tonight I agreed with them. But Jarkko won over many Pens and NHL fans alike with his victorious battle over Tucker.
Just a quick recap:
This was Jarkko Ruutu’s 25th NHL fight. (I’m surprised too.)
It was Darcy Tucker’s 77th NHL fight. (This isn’t surprising, just makes Jarkko’s glorious win all that much more spectacular.)
Jarkko Ruutu threw 32 punches and landed an amazing 25!
Darcy Tucker threw 26 punches and only landed 10.
Check out the youtube vids and let me know what you think of the fight and Ruutu.
PS, I still hope the Pens don’t re-sign Ruutu.