Scrapping In Pads

If you don't know who the guy is to the left, that's ok. I had only heard his name before before this week, but we really need to talk about François Brassard's incredible goalie gear from when he played with the OUA's Carleton Ravens before we do anything else. How cool is his gear with the Ravens logo all over them? We need more fun goalie setups like this in Canadian university hockey, and you can call me a François Brassard fan right now because of his setup. What brought the spotlight to Brassard's game this week, though, wasn't his goaltending, but a part of the game goalies very rarely practice.

Brassard played five seasons in the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, and the Gatineau Olympiques. If he learned how to do what he did on Sunday on any of those teams, it may have been under Patrick Roy during Brassard's first two QMJHL seasons with Quebec. As we know, Patrick Roy wasn't one to shy away from the pugilistic side of the game.

Following a five-game stint with the SPHL's Peoria Rivermen, Brassard played three seasons with the OUA's Carleton Ravens before finding himself in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners for two seasons. He made the jump to the Wheeling Nailers in this past off-season, and he's tending net for them now. And, apparently, is the current heavyweight champion for goalie fights in that league after his February 28 showing against the Utah Grizzlies.
Brassard squared off against Utah netminder Kevin Carr with 9.1 seconds remaining in a 6-1 Wheeling victory following a line brawl by the rest of the players on the ice. Brassard casually skated towards center ice where Carr spotted him, and the two decided to entertain the fans with one of the rarer sights seen in hockey - a goalie fight! - where Brassard more-than-capably handled himself and Carr.

Kevin Carr, his opponent in this scrap, spent four years at SUNY-Buffalo State before bouncing around the ECHL for the last six seasons that included one in the EIHL, but what makes this scrap a little more interesting is that both men played in the SPHL for the Peoria Rivermen - Carr in 2013-14 for four games while Brassard suited up in 2015-16 for five contests!

I'm all about posting some good Canadian university content, but I'm not certain U SPORTS is looking for this kind of endorsement. Regardless of their wants, François Brassard earned the win in the game and the win in the fight, ending a pretty successful night for him on Sunday with the tussle seen above. While some might chalk it up as "good Canadian hockey", I'm not certain where Brassard would have learned moves like that!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!