In the second period of yesterday's Atlanta Thrashers loss to the Washington Capitals, Eric Boulton and John Erskine squared off in the kind of hockey fight that hockey fans try to convince non-hockey fans happens all the time. This means it features actual full-hearted swinging and connecting, not sweater-tugging.
↵Both players get in some noble strokes, with Erskine dealing the finishing move by backing Boulton into the glass. It ended the fight not because it was painful in any way, but because it looked manly and the crowd really liked it, and NHL referees are actually just decibel meters with hats.
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Boulton is now 1-1 this month after dropping Ottawa's Matt Carkner to the ice last week. It's certainly among Coulton's finest fights, far better than his yawner against Colton Orr or his decision against Riley Cote or the Cote rematch, in which Cote was content to push Boulton around the ring while being punched in the face. They should let Gus Johnson announce hockey. Actually, they should let Joe Buck announce hockey.