On the night of November 20, 1991, the arch-rival Flyers visited the Penguins at the Civic Arena. Early in the second period, Philly forward Rick Tocchet clashed with Troy Loney along the boards. The gloves came off and Tocchet proceeded to beat the daylights out of the rawboned black-and-gold forward, reducing him to a bloody pulp with a volley of hard rights and uppercuts.
I’d long been aware of Tocchet’s ferocious reputation, reinforced by his battle with Loney, as a mean, relentless fighter in the true “Broad Street Bullies” tradition. Yet he was also a diamond in the rough who had a burning desire to prove himself as a hockey player.