Ice Hockey is a sport known for its fights, but the latest big brawl was not between burly, toothless goons but tiny kids.
The Hershey Bears won 3-2 at Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but it was not the score that everyone was talking about.
Players from the Central Penn Panthers Youth Ice Hockey Club began fighting as Bears and Cleveland Monsters personnel were in the dressing rooms.
Chaos erupted just seconds into the three-minute ‘Mites’ match between six and eight-year-olds, which are often held during intermissions.
Punches were thrown with tiny gloved fists as the kids tackled and hit each other.
With no officials around, the kids ran, swung for the fences, and collided with each other repeatedly.
The brawl got crazier when a goalie charged in and completely flattened a young player who was grappling with his teammate.
Videos taken by fans from inside the arena began to spread on social media and go viral.
Barstool Sports’ Jordan Demcher wrote: ‘That fight was awesome. I’m pretty sure I even saw a few friendly fire punches thrown in the mix there as well.
‘These kids didn’t give a rat’s behind who was standing in front of them, they were throwing.’
‘Best mites on ice ever,’ hockey fan Connor Flo commented.
Another fan wrote: ‘That is the best thing I have ever seen.’
A statement from the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association read: ‘We are aware of a staged fight that occurred at the Hershey Bears (AHL) game involving a Pennsylvania 8U team.
‘Affiliate, league and club officials are investigating the matter, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against those players and team officials involved with the staged fight.
‘This intermission game was not sanctioned by USA Hockey or the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association.’
The Central Penn youth club announced there will be an ‘internal review to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident.’
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