During last night's game between the Dallas Stars and Philadelphia Flyers, a rare occurrence took place when Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk dropped his gloves and fought for only the fifth time in his career.
The fight was in good spirits and was aimed at protecting the team's assistant captain, Scott Laughton, who was the victim of a dirty hit by Luke Glendening. Laughton was slow to get up after the hit, which prompted van Riemsdyk to step in and defend his teammate.
While van Riemsdyk is not known for his fighting skills, his actions showed his willingness to protect his team and his teammates. The Flyers went on to take a 4-1 loss.