The near-brawl between Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper and Boston Bruins counterpart Jeremy Swayman during Sunday night’s game created a tense moment, one that Kings coach Jim Hiller was relieved to see defused. Hiller’s primary concern was the potential for injury to his valuable goaltender.
“I mean, nobody wants to see that,” Hiller said, quickly correcting himself, “Well, I shouldn’t say that. Neither teams’ coaches want to see that because those are some pretty important players you don’t want busting up hands or anything like that.”
Referee’s Break Up Goalie Fight In Los Angeles Kings Game
The incident stemmed from a collision between Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov and Kuemper, following a hit from Kings forward Tanner Jeannot. Kuemper responded aggressively, grabbing Khusnutdinov, removing his helmet, and drawing a roughing penalty. Swayman, objecting to Kuemper’s actions, challenged him to a fight at center ice. Kuemper accepted, dropping his gloves, and prompting Swayman to do the same. Referees intervened, preventing the goalies from engaging.
“He touched one of my guys, and I think that was something I’m not going to accept,” Swayman said. “And kudos to him, he stepped up. Just it got broken up.” Both goalies received minor penalties for leaving their creases. “Heated moments, you know,” Kings forward Adrian Kempe said. “It happens. It’s fun for the fans, I guess.”
Goalie fights have become a rarity in the NHL, with the last occurring in February 2020. However, attempts have been made. Swayman himself tried to engage Toronto’s Joseph Woll in a fight in March 2024, and officials also intervened in a confrontation between St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington and Minnesota’s Marc-Andre Fleury in March 2023.
For Hiller, the potential risk to Kuemper was paramount. With the Kings boasting an impressive home record, and Kuemper on a strong run at home, an injury would have been a significant setback. He expressed relief that the officials prevented the fight, stating, “They’re not as agile as the players are, so I think it’s a little easier for the referees to get a hold of those guys, and glad they did.”