Jan 21, 2003
Islanders and Rangers have near fights twice during warmups
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- The New York Rangers and New York Islanders nearly came to blows twice during the pregame warmup Tuesday night.
The original altercation began at center ice when Rangers forward Matthew Barnaby and Islanders forward Arron Asham jawed at each other and Barnaby appeared to make some contact.
It didn't take long for all the players on both teams to converge on the center ice logo and move as a pack toward the benches. Rangers captain Mark Messier was in the middle of the group.
Rangers enforcer Sandy McCarthy was soon paired up with Islanders counterpart Eric Cairns. The pair exchanged heated words and the scrum broke up shortly after -- but not for long.
Cairns and McCarthy came together again at the red line moments later, this time on the opposite end of the ice near the penalty boxes. They jabbed their sticks at each other's causing at least one blade to break off and sail through the air.
Again both teams' full complement of players got together. Cairns and McCarthy appeared to come close to dropping their gloves, but neither seemed to want to be the first to do it.
No coaches or NHL officials were on the ice at the time and no penalties were issued.
There was already more attention than usual leading up to this meeting between the longtime neighborly rivals.
Bryan Trottier, arguably the most popular Islanders player in team history, returned to Nassau Coliseum as the head coach of the Rangers for the first time.
Trottier tops the Islanders' career lists with 1,123 games played and 1,353 points. He ranks second to Mike Bossy with 500 goals.
Trottier's No. 19 jersey, which he wore for 15 seasons on Long Island and won four Stanley Cups in, was retired by the Islanders in October 2001. He returned in a visitor before as a player with Pittsburgh and as a Colorado assistant coach.
He was hired as Rangers coach during the offseason.
