This was rough stuff. Russian Vasiliy Podkolzin fought Jeremy Lauzon in the NHL, and many fans are clear: this was the hockey battle of the year.
Battle between Podkolzin and Lauzon | Video: Associated Press
Only four minutes had passed in the last third of the match, when Lauzon from home Nashville and winger Podkolzin, whose Edmonton was leading 4:1 at that moment, dropped their gloves completely out of the flow of the game.
Canadian defender Lauzon landed the real blows first, but his opponent soon gained the upper hand.
The Moscow native knocked off Lauzon’s helmet with a right-handed punch, then sent a freak bomb to his unprotected head.
The Nashville quarterback went to the ground, his blood spattering the ice. “Unreal,” ESPN commentators rated the corneal nipple.
According to the specialized website HockeyFights.com, it was only Podkolzin’s second fight in his career.
The 23-year-old Russian celebrated a clear victory in it, and on top of that he also enjoyed his team’s 5:1 triumph in the match.
