Price vs. Thomas: A classic moment in Canadiens-Bruins history

Hockey has a unique selling point compared to other sports. While the game has transitioned away from big hits and players whose role is to fight and intimidate, it all changes once the playoffs come around. The physicality of the sport is more evident than ever. Fighting might be rarer now, but when it does happen, it still brings one of the loudest cheers in the building. No better example than the game between Team Canada and Team USA at this year's Four Nations Face-Off. It kicked off with three consecutive fights, which had the Bell Centre going bananas.

The only thing that could have possibly made the stadium any louder would have been if the goalies had joined in on the action, and everyone already knows Jordan Binnington would have been open to that option. Goalie fights are rare and becoming even rarer, with the referees unwilling to let them join in on the action. It has been a few years since we have seen a goalie fight in the NHL, but there was a time when the biggest rivalry in hockey got to enjoy two star goalies throw down.

The Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins are two of the biggest rivals in sports history, and for a time, it felt like whenever these two teams matched up against each other, something was bound to happen. The game on February 9th, 2011, was one of those classic rivalry games. There were 182 penalty minutes combined awarded in that game, but the moment that stands out the most was when Carey Price and Tim Thomas decided to square off.

Over halfway through the second period, a brawl ensued after Bruins forward Brad Marchand came flying in late on a hit on James Wisniewski. Everyone on the ice found themselves a dance partner, including the goalies, when Thomas skated his way over to Price. The referees initially tried to break it up before someone threw a punch, but after some protesting from the two goalies, they got their wish. The fight itself was not a slugfest. A couple of swings and misses before Price wrestled Thomas to the ground. The exciting part was the fact that two of the best players in their positions, for two of the biggest teams in the league, decided to drop the gloves.

Both goalies remained in the game but received penalties for fighting and leaving their creases. The Canadiens lost the game 8-6, but fans will remember the game as the time Price and Thomas decided to join in on the line brawl. With the way the game is changing now, who knows if we will ever see a moment like this between these two franchises ever again. No matter how much the league tries to squeeze fighting out of hockey, it remains one of the more exciting elements of the game, and if two goalies want to join in on the action, why stop them?