The first beautiful thing about this fight is that it takes place at the Nassau Coliseum during a New York Rangers/New York Islanders game, which means the crowd makes it sound like Round 8 of an Oscar de la Hoya/Manny Pacquiao fight. It's bedlam.

The other beautiful thing is that Aaron Voros and Nate Thompson were tossing bombs; even the ones that missed were rather awesome.

To answer your question, this is who the hell Nate Thompson is: A center claimed on waivers by the Islanders earlier this month from the Boston Bruins. He played for Isles Coach Scott Gordon with the Providence Bruins.

But how about Voros, huh? Those were some quality uppercuts he was attempting. Clearly a Mike Tyson's Punch-Out fan: When the fight's getting away from you, hit the start button and try to land that Little Mac uppercut. Although his hit-to-miss ratio makes him more Don Flamenco than Super Macho Man.

So that was fun. Not so much fun: Mark Herrman's Debbie Downer column for Newsday -- which has made busting the collective testicles of the Islanders some kind of new sport this season -- in which he worries that Rangers/Islanders will go the way of Canadiens/Nordiques:

We'd hate to see this rivalry end. Last night was an occasion, even if it was yet another bad night for the Islanders. It was another chance to think what a shame it would be if New York and hockey ever had to really say "Goodbye." That is not imminent, but it's possible. If the Islanders do not a) get a renovated building and b) make themselves relevant on non-Rangers nights, we face the chance that they just will not be here anymore.

To his credit, Islanders owner Charles Wang - called "a saint" last week by commissioner Gary Bettman - has not threatened to sell to someone who will move the team to Kansas City (as the Penguins did in their successful bid to get a new rink) or Las Vegas or Hamilton, Ontario. But he is losing $20 million a year, and the Coliseum does not rock the way it does when the Rangers come to town.

Way to bring the room down, sir. Well, more than Rick DiPietro's injury problems already have.

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