On Mar. 26, 1997, an unforgettable brawl erupted between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche. Their bitter rivalry began in the Stanley Cup playoffs and continued into the following season.
Mike Goldberg, a former UFC commentator, was there to witness it all. Before calling the action in the octagon as the voice of the MMA leader, he called Red Wings games for Pass.
A game that stood out to him was the Red Wings vs. Avalanche on Mar. 26, 1997. The tension reached a breaking point, as Detroit was still upset about Claude Lemieux’s controversial hit on Kris Draper. The hit left Draper with a broken jaw that required surgery, a shattered cheek, and damaged orbital bone.
Although they already played three times during the 1996-97 season, the Red Wings sought revenge in their final encounter. During a conversation with Sportskeeda MMA, Goldberg, who was calling the game, recalled the chaos that unfolded.
“[Igor] Larionov and [Peter] Forsberg collide. Next thing you know, [McCarty] is getting his revenge,” Goldberg said. “He absolutely pummels Lemieux, he pulls him right to the spot of the boards where Lemieux cross-checked Draper from behind and busted Draper’s face.”
Mike Goldberg Says Calling Red Wings-Avalanche Brawl was a Career Highlight
Goldberg’s broadcasting career has been filled with remarkable moments. He called NHL games, UFC events, and even served as a sideline reporter for the Chicago Bulls during their dynasty.
What made this even more memorable for Goldberg was that he called it solo. Normally, his broadcast partner, Stanley Cup winner Mickey Redmond, handled player interviews during intermissions.
At the time, Redmond being a smoker, would often leave a few minutes earlier. On that night, he was already heading to the locker room when the brawl began.
Goldberg recalled the pandemonium in Joe Louis Arena and the sight of both teams’ top players, including goaltenders, joining the fight. Despite his experiences, ‘Goldie’ still regards the Red Wings-Avalanche brawl as one of his biggest career highlights.
“The [Joe Louis Arena] is going crazy and I’m calling it alone,” Goldberg told Sportskeeda MMA. “One of the highlights of calling hockey, one of the greatest moments in my career because of the storyline, not just simply the fight.”
Red Wings and Avalanche Played Again During the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The brawl wasn’t the end of the Red Wings-Avalanche drama. The two teams met again in the 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs. Colorado, winners of the President’s Trophy, faced 3rd seeded Detroit in the Western Conference Finals.
The brawl from their final regular season meeting and 1996 Western Conference Final made the series more intense.
Colorado had won the previous year’s playoff series, and later swept the Florida Panthers to win their first-ever Stanley Cup.
This time, however, Detroit emerged victorious, defeating Colorado in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Both teams remained perennial contenders in the years that followed.
Detroit won their second straight Stanley Cup in 1998, while Colorado won their second Stanley Cup in 2001.
Between 1996 and 2008, the Red Wings and Avalanche met six times in the playoffs, with each team winning three. The intense matchups, infamous brawl, and success, cemented the rivalry as one of the most legendary in NHL history.
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