#garryhowatt

It wasn’t just a playoff game. It was pandemonium on ice.

In Game 2 of the 1979-80 Stanley Cup quarter-finals, the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins combined for a record 248 penalty minutes in the first period alone! Leading the mayhem was Garry Howatt, who totaled 32 minutes himself after tangling with Wayne Cashman and joining the all-out brawl to end the frame.

The Islanders stayed composed the rest of the way, winning 5-4 in overtime thanks to Bob Bourne and went on to sweep the series.

No suspensions followed, and just two nights later, Howatt was back trading punches with Terry O’Reilly. Pure old-school hockey at its wildest.