Opening Night Fights Mark Start of NHL Season

It didn’t take long for some NHL excitement to unfold on the opening night of the 2025-26 season.

The Colorado Avalanche faced off against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, and things got heated towards the end of the first period. With just 1:34 remaining, Kings forward Warren Vogel took a solid hit from Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson, prompting Vogel to carefully slide back to his teammates.

Almost immediately, Kings winger Jeff Marotte jumped in and began to tussle with Manson. Ironically, Marotte seemed like a fitting opponent given that his brother Mike is a fighter and coach in the UFC. The two players grappled for several seconds before finally hitting the ice, with officials stepping in shortly after to break it up.

Despite a scoreless first period, the Avalanche managed to secure a victory in the end. Martin Necas netted two goals, while Nathan MacKinnon contributed with two assists.

“I think the last seven or eight minutes of the first period, we began to play a bit more aggressively,” stated Avalanche head coach David Bednar during the post-game press conference. “We kept that momentum going into the second period, and we improved.”

On the other side, Kevin Fiala was the only scorer for the Kings. It’s interesting, isn’t it? How one fight can shift the energy of a game. The season has barely begun, and yet the intensity is palpable.