The annual charity hockey game between the New York Police Department and the city’s Fire Department descended into chaos on March 29 as the two rivals engaged in a massive brawl.
The NYPD and FDNY have a major rivalry when it comes to hockey, with the two first playing against each other back in 1974.
Since then, the two have competed in an annual “Battle of the Badges” – a typically spirited contest filled with hard hits, fights, and aggression.
Going into the 2026 matchup, the firefighters had a dominating lead in the head-to-head with a 30-18-3 record and had gone 7-0-1 in the previous eight matchups.
While the police were able to fend of the firefighters and break the losing streak with a 3-2 victory, the game was filled with fights and a viral bench-clearing brawl at the final whistle.
NYPD and FDNY drop the gloves in chaotic hockey brawl
Earlier on in the game, a full line brawl broke out with every player on the ice trading blows.
While one fight appeared to go the way of the police, decked out in green, it was the red firefighters who got the edge in the melee by winning the majority of the fights.
The heated affair continued into the third period, where the firefighters tried desperately to score a tying goal in the dying seconds, but were shut down by the NYPD goalie who made some key saves.
As the buzzer sounded, another batch of fights broke out, this time with players from both teams’ benches trading blows.
The fisticuffs continued for a good couple of minutes before the FDNY skated away, letting the officers celebrate their victory.
Despite the bad blood, both teams raised money for the PBA Widows and Children’s Fund, the Uniformed Fire Officers Association Widows and Children’s Fund, and the Ray Pfeifer Foundation.
