Jim Wilderman Unleashed in The Windy City

It was game 2 late into he third period of our final game of the season. We were down four goals and knew it would take a miracle to pull a win out. At this point in the game we were playing for pride and not going down without a fight, literally. With about four minutes left in the third period there was a scrum (pushing and shoving) in front of the net. As a hockey player you know when a fight is going to happen. It’s the way two players get in each other’s faces and the way shoves are given to the chest of the other guy. This was exactly what was happening. The whole bench was quiet and motionless as we watched this develop and how the player we all would never have guessed to drop the gloves, started in the process of developing a fight. We all saw it coming as it happened and when Jim pulled off his helmet and threw his gloves aside, our bench erupted with screams and shouts of encouragement. A shot here, dodging up and down, yanking jerseys, the faint and the definitely recognizable sound of a fist smashing in the jaw of an opponent. That quick it had started and that quick it had ended. Jim was obviously then escorted to the penalty box as our team rooted him on and yelled on congrats at him. A definite morale booster to our team, and Jim's first win in his first junior hockey fighting career.