Detroit Red Wings fans will always have a soft spot for goalie fights. The fights Mike Vernon and Chris Osgood had with Patrick Roy will always be an important part of team lore.
That’s why Detroit fans can appreciate what occurred during the outdoor game in Tampa last night. Boston’s Jeremy Swayman and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy battled. Real punches were thrown.
STADIUM SERIES GOALIE FIGHT 😱 pic.twitter.com/ntCWlmmr25
— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2026
Beyond the goalie bout, the game was important to Detroit fans because Tampa Bay won again. The Lightning now have a four- point lead over Detroit in the Atlantic Division.
The NHL went six years without a goalie-on-goalie fight and now we’ve had two in two weeks. Probably just random happenstance. But maybe it speaks to highly competitive races in a compressed schedule. Teams are playing every other night and there has been moments for players to decompress.
Red Wings In Case You Missed It
Former Detroit player David Booth is at the center of controversy in UK hockey.
Max Smith’s Two Truths and a Lie looks at whether re-signing defenseman Ben Chiarot was good value for GM Steve Yzerman.
DHN at why the Red Wings are happy to re-sign Grand Rapids veteran Sheldon Dries
Red Wings Extra
Carter Bear (13th, 2025) delivered a three-assist game in the Everett Silvertips’ 6-3 win against the Tri-City Americans. That gives him six points in his past two games. The feisty left wing has 44 points in 34 games this season. . . Goalie Rudy Guimond (169th, 2023) posted a 39-save 3-0 shutout for the Moncton Wildcats over the Newfoundland Regiment Sunday. Grayson Robertson-Palmer (204th, 2025) scored his sixth goal of the season for the Wildcats.
Hockey Now Digest
Boston: Bruins are doing some soul searching about squandering a four-goal lead in an outdoor loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Boston Bruins.Â
Colorado: Gabriel Landeskog could be Sweden’s captain at Olympic Games. Colorado Avalanche.
Pittsburgh: Dan Kingerski explores the identity of the Penguins team that is finding success. Pittsburgh Penguins.