Thanks to a good friend, I was able to enjoy the Carolina Hurricanes game last night.  I’ve never heard it so loud in the arena as last night when Rod Brind’Amour wristed a shot past the Ranger’s goalie to put the Canes up 4-2 in the third period.  The crowd was going nuts.  It was as if they really wanted to see the Canes players “go for blood.”  Everyone seemed to be hoping for one more goal – just to rub it in to the Rangers.  The intensity was amazing, and I had this sense that the atmosphere was going to lead to a good hockey fight as the Rangers  would be frustrated by the imminent loss and raucous crowd.  Sure enough, there was a little scuffle that began between two players – one of which was a Ranger who had been constantly booed by the crowd every time he touched the puck.  The fight didn’t amount to much – just a little pushing and a couple of harmless jabs before the refs stepped in.  But isn’t it odd that hockey is the only sport where fighting is encouraged, and often goes unpunished?  The two players involved last night weren’t even penalized.  Had this been another sport, there probably would have been ejections, fines, suspensions, who knows?  How does hockey get away with it?  I must admit, I don’t mind it.  It seems tame enough, but there does seem to be a double standard going on.  And it’s a terrible example of sportsmanship and a terrible model for kids to follow in solving their disputes.  Yet why do I enjoy a hockey fight so much????