Goalies gone wild: Looking back at the most memorable NHL goalie fights

The Battle of Alberta gifted hockey fans with one of the most exciting occurrences in the sport on Saturday: a goalie fight!

Calgary Flames netminder Cam Talbot and Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith highlighted another great chapter in the provincial rivalry with a heated bout that's inspired us to revisit some of the most memorable goalie fights in NHL history.

Felix Potvin vs. Ron Hextall - Nov. 10, 1996

A wild affair between the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs, which included three separate player fights and a fiery altercation between captains Doug Gilmour and Rod Brind'Amour, ended with one of the most spirited goalie bouts ever.

All hell broke loose as time expired in the game, and Hextall immediately joined in on the action. The Flyers netminder skated full-tilt down the ice to engage with Potvin, and the two exchanged a series of heavy blows for a solid 30 seconds before succumbing to exhaustion.

Ray Emery vs. Martin Biron and Andrew Peters: Feb. 22, 2007

One of hockey's ultimate gladiators between the pipes, Ray Emery was never one to back down from a fight. The Ottawa Senators netminder took on all comers on this night in Buffalo.

Midway through the second period, the Buffalo Sabres matched their fourth line with the Senators' top unit. After Andrew Peters went after Ottawa star Dany Heatley, a line brawl erupted, and Emery fled from his crease to take on both Martin Biron and Peters with a grin from ear-to-ear.

Emery's competitive spirit and love of the game will live on forever. R.I.P., Razor.

Patrick Roy vs. Mike Vernon: March 26, 1997

It's one of the most famous regular-season games in NHL history. The fierce rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche reached its tipping point in late March of 1997, with each netminder taking center stage in a full-out line brawl.

After Red Wings forward Brendan Shanahan flew through the air to greet Roy at center ice, the Avalanche puck-stopper got his hands on Mike Vernon, and the goalies squared off in Roy's first tilt with a Detroit counterpart.

Patrick Roy vs. Chris Osgood: April 1, 1998

Roy was at it again just over one year later, but this time with Red Wings netminder Chris Osgood. Similar to the incident a season prior, a line brawl erupted, and Roy jumped at the chance to embrace the chaos.

After exchanging pleasantries with a dog pile of players, Roy noticed Osgood waiting for him at center ice and the rest was history.

Brent Johnson vs. Rick DiPietro: Feb. 2, 2011

The hockey world learned an important lesson on this night in Pittsburgh: Don't mess with Brent Johnson.

The Penguins netminder skated down the ice to greet Islanders' Rick DiPietro with a thunderous left hook that ended what might be the quickest goalie fight in NHL history. Kudos to Johnson for checking in on his fallen opponent after delivering what he knew was a direct blow. Class act.

Jonathan Bernier vs. Ryan Miller: Sept. 22, 2013

Who says preseason hockey is boring? An unlikely spat between then-Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel and (All-Star) John Scott, which turned the former into Paul Bunyan, ignited an unforgettable line brawl that ended with Jonathan Bernier and Ryan Miller taking center stage.

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