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Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:52 am EST

Fight video: Matt Hunwick's one-punch debut

By Sean Leahy

When I first saw the video, I would have thought that Boston Bruins rookie defenseman Matt Hunwick would have been immediately jumped and stomped on after his hit on Justin Williams of the Carolina Hurricanes.  The rookie, though, was well prepared for any sort of action.  "As soon as I made that hit, I knew I'd basically have to fight.  For his first fight as a National Hockey League player, Hunwick did pretty well."

After the two teams decided it was time to fight, there was the massive potential of an all-out line brawl when each player was paired up.  Sadly, it wound up just Williams attempting to exact revenge on Hunwick thereby robbing the world of hearing Bruins play-by-play man Jack Edwards call a 10-man battle royale.

In the end, the Bruins continued their domination atop the Eastern Conference standings with a 5-1 victory leaving the Hurricanes to wonder what it would take for the team to respond.

"We were too soft," Williams said. "They did what they wanted to do with us. They pushed us off pucks in the offensive zone. They battled and got their sticks on pucks in our defensive zone. We lost those areas in front of our net and that was the difference. They got out to an early lead and rolled from there."

Williams, not much of a fighter, has a career 0-2-1 record in bouts according to HockeyFights.com, which includes this questionable loss to Maxim Afinogenov from 2006.

Related: Goons and Pugilism

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58 Comments

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  1. Brian M
    1. Posted by Brian M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    Am I the only one sick of fights erupting after perfectly clean hits? It's been especially noticeable since the lockout. Why can't anyone just see that this was a beautiful open-ice hit?
  2. Leahy
    2. Posted by Leahy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:27 pm EDT

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    @Brian M: I understand what you're saying, but I guess from a player's perspective, the hit happened so fast, they might have thought it was dirty or a head shot, especially if they saw Hunwick's elbow follow through.
    But, yes, fights after clean hits are tiresome
  3. Tom
    3. Posted by Tom Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

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    Really...Fighting is as much Hockey as the brush back is to Baseball. As a life long Bruins fan, I think it's about time the the B's showed their toughness. Also if hockey wants to draw in the casual fan more fighting is going to bring that. Crashing in NASCAR and falling in figure skating...same thing.
  4. Caitlin M
    4. Posted by Caitlin M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:54 pm EDT

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    Gotta admit, Hunwick was one of the last guys I would ever think of getting in a fight. The young guys are stepping up this year and it makes the Bruins a hard team to play against. I love seeing this team finally coming together, kicking butt, and taking names.
  5. Bubbabanjo
    5. Posted by Bubbabanjo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

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    Ya know what Hunwick.............way to go buddy. That toilet swirlie has the gutless punkism to fight with a visor on. He oughtta be pimp slapped out of the game.
    But that hit did look a bit cheap. Dont blame them for goin after him. Just take the visor off ya panty liner.
    Leahy punks fightin with helmets on stink!
  6. The Great One
    6. Posted by The Great One Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    I'm a lifelong Bruins fan, and I think Hunwick should be suspended for that hit. How can the NHL say that they're cracking down on hits to the head when plays like this go without punishment? No harm, no foul? If Williams had been knocked cold, the NHL would make a stump speech about the elbow, but because he got up and fought, the elbow to the head is ok?
    Idiots.
  7. Garth the Hoser
    7. Posted by Garth the Hoser Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT

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    Nobody carves out eyeballs like Williams, though.
  8. Daniel L
    8. Posted by Daniel L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:35 pm EDT

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    Shame on Williams for going after a guy while stile wearing his helmet (more specifically, his visor). Also, I too have had enough of fights erupting after clean hits. It looks like Hunwick's elbow came out after the hit but he definitely makes contact with his shoulder. Stop going after people who have thrown a hit to th head because hits to the head are perfectly legal!
  9. jasonicus
    9. Posted by jasonicus Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    I expected this great punch. Williams was already losing his balance. Lame.
  10. The Donger
    10. Posted by The Donger Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    Watch the video again. Looks like an elbow because of the follow through, but Williams was leaning forward and contact was actually with the shoulder. I thought it was an elbow at first, but it's all shoulder. That being said, there is some grey area, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him fined or suspended for a game.
  11. Daniel L
    11. Posted by Daniel L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:35 pm EDT

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    @ The Great One. Watch the video again and pause it at 32 seconds as Hunwick makes the hit. He very clearly makes contact with his shoulder.
  12. Mister Big
    12. Posted by Mister Big Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    Jack Edwards, you've turned into a hell of a hockey announcer.
  13. Guy S
    13. Posted by Guy S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    thats a clean hit the guy had his head down what do you expect? and the follow through that some of you are complaining about is him just finishing his hit come on. good for him for standing up for himself, wish someone would do this to crosby but hes smart enough to keep his head up most of the time so thats why you dont see it. im a wings fan but if i had a team to pick to win the cup i would say the bruins are the team to do it granted that injuries dont plague them at the end of the season like last year
  14. blues_fan_mk
    14. Posted by blues_fan_mk Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    When you attempt to hurt a guy on the other team, whether it is a legal hit or not, you can expect some sort of retaliation. Hunwick clearly elevated and went after Williams' head for the specific purpose of trying to hurt him, not just take him out of the play. If he went at him shoulder to shoulder and just knocked him down, the scrum would not have happened. The play clearly called for a retaliation by Carolina.
  15. gostarsgo56
    15. Posted by gostarsgo56 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

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    Jack Edwards = nails on the chalkboard.
  16. Seabass
    16. Posted by Seabass Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:45 pm EDT

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    lots of things wrong with that play...williiams' head was down in the neutral zone, elbow maybe a little and j dub was throwing lefts!! even if he did connect with one, they were a little soft. kudos to him for taking up for HIMSELF
  17. 5 4 fighting
    17. Posted by 5 4 fighting Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:01 pm EDT

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    What a homie announcer-give me a break if that was a one punch end of fight type hit. BS
  18. Z's B's
    18. Posted by Z's B's Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:31 pm EDT

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    The Great One... You are joking, right? Pehaps tennis or golf would better suit your tastes.
  19. DetroitGoalie20
    19. Posted by DetroitGoalie20 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:52 pm EDT

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    Williams just got owned!
  20. thesbytolbert
    20. Posted by thesbytolbert Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:05 pm EDT

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    fighting is what makes hockey!i love it!
  21. Time to Step-up!
    21. Posted by Time to Step-up! Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:05 pm EDT

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    It is time to bring back the whale. Who is legitimately a 'Canes fan, Eric Staal is solid and Ray Whitney has skill but those uniforms are not interesting. Does anyone know what their atendance is? What NHL fan didn't like those Whaler uniforms. I also think Minnesota should be given back the North Stars and Dallas can be called the Stars.
  22. nelson95
    22. Posted by nelson95 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:35 pm EDT

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    can't decide which Carolina team was more pathetic yesterday
  23. tmfh3636
    23. Posted by tmfh3636 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:16 pm EDT

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    im sick of people who talk about "homie announcers" do u really expect an announcer for a specific region such as NESN with the Bruins, not to get excited when the bruins do something? hes announcing to an all bruins crowd and is payed to talk highly about the Bruins. Do you really think that a station would keep an announcer who talks about the good things about the other team as much as his own team?
  24. D White
    24. Posted by D White Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:45 pm EDT

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    That was an elbow.....
    And I don't mind fighting in the NHL, but there as some [profane]ty fights man, guys embarrassing themselves, granted its hard to fight on skates, but still.....
  25. Brettbot
    25. Posted by Brettbot Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:18 pm EDT

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    i wish jack edwards was a commentator in my area. i especially love him during the chara-koci fight.

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