Toronto's Hockey game!

You are watching your first hockey game and starting to understand  the rules.

The speed and excitement of the game make it instantly enjoyable.

Suddenly, two players from opposite teams skate towards each other, dropping their sticks and gloves to the ice. It seems as though they're preparing to dance, and everybody else on the ice stops to watch.

But instead of Samba, these two players start PUNCHING EACH OTHER IN THE FACE!

Just as you begin to wonder why nobody is calling the police, the fighters get tired, and the referees skate in to separate them.

Strangely, as the players skate away they're not even angry! 

The home team player smiles and waves to the fans, who clap and cheer his effort.

You have just witnessed one of the oldest traditions of the sport; the Hockey Fight.

Many people who are new to Canada wonder why fights regularly occur during hockey games.

Everybody remembers the infamous Zenadine Zidane incident during the FIFA World Cup.

Imagine he had acted like a typical hockey player! Fighting is so common in ice hockey that there is an old joke about it; "I went to a boxing match last night, and a hockey game broke out!"

Nobody can deny that fighting is a regular part of hockey, but why is it?

The answer may be because fighting has been part of hockey since it was invented more than 100 years ago.

Since then, the violent nature of the game has caused tempers to boil and fights to break out.

There are even certain players whose main job is to protect their team's star players with their fists.

You can refer to these tough guys by two names, depending on your opinion of this strange hockey custom. An "enforcer" is a brave and respected part of the team, while a "goon" is a monster with no talent and a low I.Q. 

Once you decide if you enjoy this part of the sport, feel free to choose.

In Toronto, the most popular enforcer in recent times was Tie Domi.

Although he retired this part summer, you can still see Domi's number 28 on Maple Leaf shirts everywhere. 

And if you are wondering if Toronto hockey fans appreciate fighting, just look at Tie Domis' career statistics; Games played: 1020 / Goals Scored: 104 / Penalty Minutes: 3515

So, is Tie Domi an enforcer or a goon? Either way, see you at the game!

By Amit Dahan