The New York Rangers skated into the Prudential Center and continued their domination of the New Jersey Devils last night with a 5-2 humbling. But as is tradition in this local rivalry, the most exciting action took place in the upper levels between the warring fan bases. This time, it was a swarm of Newark ushers and security breaking up a disturbance -- and then literally dragging a Rangers fan out of his section.

Here's the amateur video. It's a bit like "Cloverfield," only with more Chris Drury and Martin Brodeur jerseys. NSFW warning on a familiar arena chant that describes a part of a donkey's body:

When advocates describe hockey as "something you have to see live in the arena," this is the part they usually leave out. But truth be told: A scene like this is practically nostalgic for me, as I'm sure it is for any other puckhead who can call his or herself a "Patrick Division fan." I imagine this sort of thing has also played out for years in places like Boston and Pittsburgh and Chicago, too.

What's your best arena fight story, up in the cheapies? Which old barn produced the best fan brawls? And don't you think passion for hockey in places like Phoenix, Florida and Atlanta would be higher if the in-game environment occasional deteriorated into this level of misbehavior?

Is it stupid? Of course: A bunch of blockheads with beer muscles getting into a scuffle over an entertainment event. Have you ever seen a fight in a movie theater because one guy's rooting for the Autobots and the other guy is wearing a Decepticon T-shirt? No, because while you should have an emotional stake that matches your financial stake in a given form of entertainment, it's not exactly worth getting arrested or imprisoned over.

(Unless wives or girlfriends or mothers are involved, naturally. That's time-tested man stuff right there. Even Gretzky's dropping the gloves if you make fun of his old lady. OK, McSorley still would have, but Gretzky would have watched very intently.)

Those Newark ushers don't mess around, huh? At the old Meadowlands, from what I've been told, security would take you into the bowels of the arena where a New Jersey State Trooper gives you a stern warning. One fan even told me the arena security had a "most wanted" list of fans who would be ejected as soon as they were spotted in the building. Nutty.

One last point, on Devils/Rangers games. You all know I'm a cynical, self-loathing Devils fans who is now being tortured with a defense that has the consistency of pudding playing in front of Kevin Weekes. But I've been to enough of these rivalry games to know that beyond the anguish and embarrassment of losing to the Blueshirts, the infusion of Rangers fans into the Devils' arena makes for one hell of an environment for hockey.

In fact, Rangers fans pulled one of the greatest stunts I've ever seen at a game back in 1995, at the Meadowlands.

Some guy snuck in a helium balloon into the game, and sat in the upper deck. At one point in the first period, he tied a Rangers Stanley Cup banner to it, and then actually sent it into the rafters of the Devils' arena as "Let's Go Rangers" chants filled the section. It was hilarious. Keep in mind the Rangers had beaten Jersey in the conference finals one year earlier, and the Devils had yet to win a Cup yet. Let alone three ...

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