Battle of the Hockey Enforcers

The Battle of the Hockey Enforcers (also known as Hockey Enforcers: Black & Blue) was a sporting event held at the CN Centre in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, on August 27, 2005.[1][2] The event consisted of ice hockey enforcers (mostly from minor and senior men's leagues) fighting on the ice in full hockey gear, as sometimes seen in regular games. Like in the National Hockey League, no fighting on the ground was allowed, and the referees separated the fighters if the fight turned too one-sided. For player safety concerns, officials also temporarily stopped fights if helmets or gloves were accidentally removed, with disqualifications in effect if they were removed on purpose. If a fight did not end in a referee stoppage, it was judged by a panel of hockey experts.

Hockey Enforcers was the brainchild of Canadian promoter Darryl Wolski, whose efforts to hold this show and find a willing city & venue were the subject of the feature Hockey Brawl: Battle on Thin Ice for CTV's W5, which won the Gemini Award in 2006 for Best Sports Program or Series. After failed attempts to host the event in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a measure of controversy due to the nature of hockey fighting, Hockey Enforcers was held in Prince George, British Columbia to some success. The CN Centre attracted about 2,000 spectators, only about one third capacity, and despite encouraging pay per view sales, a teased second show in the spring of 2006 never materialized. A DVD of the show, under the Hockey Enforcers: Black and Blue title, was subsequently released by Video Service Corp.

Commentators for this event were Ian Furness and then-AHL player Brantt Myhres, while Gilles Peloquin and Wayne Veary called the event in French. Amy Hayes served as the interviewer and announcer for pre-match introductions, while Ray Walker announced winners and decisions, and Geoff Gregoire was the lead referee. The rink-side judges were Paul Brown, John Craighead, and Steve Parsons. Songs by such artists as State of Shock, Seemless, Art of Dying and Bruce Kulick were used as entrance themes.

Though originally planned as a one night 16-man tournament with four round robin groupings and winners advancing to the semifinals (similarly to international ice hockey tournaments), a number of forfeits and byes were made due to injuries and other withdrawals. Advertising for the event listed 31 total bouts, but only 19 were held, including a pre-finals exhibition bout which saw Derek Parker defeat Jamie Leinhos via unanimous decision.