Fighting in the WHL

In 1997-98, there were 1.93 fights per game in the WHL. This season, there are just 0.38, about one every third game across the league.

Section:Gallery

Mon., Feb. 18, 2019

Spokane Chief Jevon Desutels and Tri-cities Aaron Boogard fight during the first period of their match in the Spokane Arena, Jan. 22, 2005.
Spokane's Carter Proft, above, tangles with the Everett Silvertips' Landon Oslanski, below, Friday, Mar. 8, 2013 at the Spokane Arena. The Chiefs beat Everett 6-3.

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Chiefs' Kris Graf tags Seattle Thunderbird Lloyd Shaw in the head during the 1st period,Oct. 4, 1995.

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With a full-on, gloves and helmuts off fight at the start of the second period, Spokane Chiefs Steven Kuhn beats Kamloops Colin Smith down to the ice Friday, Nov.18, 2011 in the Spokane Arena.

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An all-comers fight erupts in the first period of play between the Tri Cities Americans and the Spokane Chiefs during the WHL matchup of the two rivals Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008. It was a rowdy match, as usual.

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Chiefs' Reid Gow (18) and Winterhawks' Brandon Leipsic (28) fight it out during a hockey game on Saturday, November 2, 2013, at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash.

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Chiefs' Carter Profit and Winterhawks' Brandon Leipsic fight it out during a hockey game on Saturday, November 2, 2013, at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash.

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Chiefs' Tyson Helgesen (6) trades punches against Seattle's Keegan Kolesar (28) on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash.

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Spokane Chiefs' Riley McKay (27) fights Kootenay Ice's Barrett Sheen (10) on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash.

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Spokane Chiefs', Adam Hobson, and Seattle's, Bretton Stamler, fight in the second period as the Chiefs', Mike Reddington and Seattle's, Chris Durand, battle it out in the background on Oct. 27, 2006, in the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash.
Spokane's T.C. Cratsenberg (cq), right, swing at Seattle's Chance Lund during a fight in the first period Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008 at the Spokane Arena. The Chiefs met the Seattle Thunderbirds in WHL hockey action.

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Spokane Chief's Steve Kuhn (20) and Prince George's Greg Fraser trade punches late in the second period in the Spokane Veterans Arena Tuesday Dec. 8, 2009.

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The refs break up a fight between Spokane Chiefs Brad Schell and the Everett Silvertips Mark Kress, March 23, 2004.
Fans got what they came for at the Chiefs opener in 2002. They only had to wait until the beginning of the second period for the refs to let a fight between Chiefs' Curtis Suter and Tri-City's Regan Darby carry on.
Spokane Chiefs', Chris Bruton, and Portland Winterhawks', Cameron Cepek, have an excited crowd for their fight on Dec. 15, 2004, at Spokane Arena.
Spokane Chiefs' Darren Kramer, left, starts the first period with a fight against Kootenay Ice's Brendan Hurley which started bad blood early in the game at the first ever Rockstart Outdoor Hockey Classic at Avista Stadium Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011.

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Chiefs Kevin Sawyer (25) lands a few punches in the first period and left his impression on scouts by standing his ground in tight-fisted fashion recently against the Blades on Nov. 4, 1994.

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The Spokane Chiefs' Carter Proft, right, throws a punch at Austin Carroll of the Victoria Royals in a fight Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 at the Spokane Arena. Each fighter got five minutes. The Chiefs battled, but came up short 5-3 against the Royals.

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Prince George left wing Kolby Johnson (24) and Spokane Chiefs defenseman Evan Fiala (7) fight during the first period of a WHL hockey game, Fri., Feb. 26, 2016, in the Spokane Arena.

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Prince George left wing Kolby Johnson (24) and Spokane Chiefs defenseman Evan Fiala (7) fight during the first period of a WHL hockey game, Fri., Feb. 26, 2016, in the Spokane Arena.

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Spokane Chiefs' Riley Whittingham, second from left, starts a second period beef with the Wheat Kings' Macoy Erkamps (20) but is denied a second fight in second period, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, at the Spokane Arena. The second period ended Chiefs up 3-2.

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Spokane Chiefs' Riley Whittingham, left, picks a fight with the Wheat Kings' Linden McCorrister, right, in the first period, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, at the Spokane Arena. The period ended 1-1.

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Team captain Jared Cowan, left, lets a little bad blood flow to Calgary's Cody Beach during the matchup between the Spokane Chiefs and the Calgary Hitmen, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, at the Spokane Arena.

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T.C. Cratsenberg, right, of the Spokane Chiefs, tries to get some knuckles on the nose of Prince Albert's Nathan Deck in a fight in the closing seconds of the game which the Chiefs won 5-2 over the visiting Raiders, Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, at the Spokane Arena.

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Spokane Chiefs' Riley McKay (27) catches a punch from the Vancouver Giants' Darian Skeoch (28) during a hockey game on Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash.

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Spokane Chiefs defenseman Tamas Laday (24) and Vancouver Giants center Dakota Odgers (36) fight each other in the first period of a WHL hockey game, Tues., March. 3, 2015, in Spokane Arena.

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Chiefs Jevon Desaultels pummels Seattle player Shon Jones-Perry in the 2nd period in Spokane in 2002.
Spokane Chief Ryan Letts taunts the Tri-City Americans bench even as he skates to the penalty box after a brutal third period fight, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, at the Spokane Arena. Four from each team left the game after the fight and the Americans' goalie left with injuries.

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