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(2) Red Wings vs. Avalanche
Beef Breakdown: In game six of the 95-96 Western Conference Finals, Claude Lemieux ran Kris Draper into the boards during an Avalanche win that knocked the Red Wings out of the playoffs. It also ignited a rivalry that would go on until 2003. In that span, the teams combined for 5 Stanley Cups, 2 major brawls, countless other fights, and so many penalties. Highlights include multiple goalie vs. goalie fights, coaches screaming at coaches, blood, hits, revenge, and really good hockey.
Best Known For: Brawls, beatdowns, bloodied faces, plenty of Stanley Cups. This went on for long enough that I can’t just pick one. Sue me.
(7) Jose Bautista vs. Rougned Odor
Beef Breakdown: Bautista and Odor are both passionate men, with a strong sense of what’s right and what’s wrong on the baseball field. Those senses of right and wrong don’t necessarily line up, but they both believe in justice … which is what led to some violent beef.
Best Known For: The Bautista bat flip and the Odor punch the destroyed Bautista.
Matchup Prediction: The two moments that define Bautista-Odor are iconic, but the Wings and Aves hatred for each other was one of the rare cases of full team vs. full team beef. Everyone got involved, it became so much more than just your dime-a-dozen rivalry, it was a bloodbath. Wings-Aves will hang on.
Relive each episode and let us know below which beef is best. Voting is open through March 31, then round two will begin on April 1.
(If you can’t see the poll below, click here)