After 11 years and 748 games, Devils' Andy Greene earns first fighting major

Jim Cerny

•
After 11 years and 748 games, Devils' Andy Greene earns first fighting major image

BROOKLYN -- Andy Greene experienced many things and achieved quite a few accomplishments – including becoming the 11th captain in the history of the New Jersey Devils – over the first 748 games of his National Hockey League career.

However, up until Tuesday night, the 35-year-old defenseman never received a fighting major.

MORE: NHL Rumor Roundup: Jack Johnson adds to growing defenseman market with trade request

While not exactly on his to-do list, Greene checked that box when he and Islanders center Brock Nelson dropped the gloves at the close of the first period at the Barclays Center following a battle in front of the Devils net.

“I think one every 750 games or so is good,” Greene joked with reporters after the Devils 4-1 victory. “It was good to say I got one at least, so we’ll see if it happens again.”

 

The jockeying for position in front of Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid probably was similar to hundreds, if not thousands, of one-on-one battles during Green’s respected career. This time, though, the ending was different when Greene and Nelson exchanged punches as the buzzer sounded concluding the opening period.

“It happened so fast, we were just battling hard in front of the net and he asked me to go and I said sure, and blacked out after that,” said Greene, who came into the game with just 216 career penalty minutes.

MORE: Islanders' coach Weight snarks at elevated shot totals in Montreal

As far as hockey fights go, it wasn’t exactly a memorable throwdown. In fact, during the first intermission before the penalties were announced officially, many in the Barclays press box thought the combatants might only receive coincidental minors for roughing even throw clear punches were thrown.

“We had some good laughs,” explained Devils defenseman Damon Severson of what transpired in the New Jersey locker room between periods. “Lots of people said that was his first NHL fight, and you don’t expect to see that. He’s going to battle out there and give it everything he’s got, but you don’t expect him to get into a fight; but he’ll protect himself and he doesn’t take any crap out there.”

 

 

Interestingly, it was also the first career fight for Nelson, the 26-year-old center playing in his 362nd game.

“I didn’t know that…I guess it was good to get two firsts there,” said Greene, whose Devils snapped a six-game winless skid and won for the first time in 2018.

“You talk about fighting in the game, I think that was just a heat of the moment type thing. It wasn’t a staged fight, it was just two guys playing hard for each other’s teams.”

 

 

So, how would Greene rate his pugilistic efforts?

“It was fun to do. I’ll have to look at the tape to see what happened.”

Jim Cerny