A charity hockey match at UBS Arena on Sunday between the FDNY and NYPD turned chaotic as two fights erupted, rekindling tensions between the city’s first responders.
The NYPD claimed victory with a score of 3-2, marking the first triumph for law enforcement over firefighters in a charity game in a decade.
About eight minutes into the first period, while the score was still tied, players exchanged heated looks along the boards. Once the final whistle blew, punches were thrown, briefly interrupting the NYPD’s post-game celebration.
The altercation began as players from both teams watched the scrimmage unfold. A linesman was focused on one fight when an NYPD player stepped in to halt an FDNY player’s swing aimed at one of the Finest team members.
As the situation escalated, more players from each side got involved.
Officials quickly intervened, and by the end, the penalty box was nearly at capacity.
Even after the final buzzer, tensions ran high, leading to more skirmishes between NYPD and FDNY players. Both benches clustered behind the net, and it took a while for order to be restored.
This friendly rivalry often sparks physical confrontations during their matches.
“That passion runs through you… We stand up for each other,” said FDNY right winger Stephen Kelly. “It’s like a family at home. You protect them whether you’re at work or at the hockey rink. That’s the brotherhood of the fire department.”
While there were fights early on and at the end, most of the game was relatively tame compared to previous years.
A decade ago, a game at Nassau Coliseum descended into chaos with an enormous brawl that emptied the benches.
This incident occurred during the second period of a 3-3 tie, with nearly all players dropping their gloves except for the goalie. It took around 25 minutes to sort out and clean the ice after the chaos.
In a previous matchup during the 2024 event, a significant hit triggered another line brawl.
This was the 52nd annual face-off between the NYPD and FDNY.
