Moments ago in today's Oilers game, veteran forward Corey Perry dropped the gloves with Red Wings forward Joe Veleno to spark his team.
Behind the play, Perry and Veleno met up at the blue line to drop the gloves after a big hit on Derek Ryan. Both players were swinging some awesome blows, with Corey Perry connecting at one point on a full series of uppercuts. Perry had the advantage in the fight in the first half before it moved along the boards, and Veleno got his kicks back. Still, Perry was able to get up and hold his own in the fight.
Click here to watch the video of the fight between Corey Perry and Joe Veleno.
After the fight, Veleno and Perry exchanged a brief gesture of respect for each other. It's a great sign of sportsmanship that you'd only see in hockey after a fight. Perry may have the on-ice role of a pest, but he's still a respected veteran in the league.
With the Oilers down by a goal early in the first period in the first night of back to back games, the team needed a spark to get back in the game, and that's exactly what Perry was doing. Even at 39 years old and in October games, Perry is still giving it his all and literally fighting to stay in the lineup.
Earlier today, reports surfaced from Jim Matheson that the Edmonton Oilers will soon call up a younger forward to get some rest for Corey Perry and Derek Ryan. As long as Perry is still chuckin' em like this, the Oilers may need to keep his toughness in the bottom six. We'll have to see if the Oilers respond at all to Perry's fight in the second period, still down by one goal to Detroit.
