Jonathan Quick Almost Sparks Brawl After Game vs. Red Wings

Given that New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings are both celebrating centennials this season, maybe it was fitting that an old school style NHL brawl nearly erupted at the end of their game Sunday.

The Red Wings won the game 2-1. In the closing seconds, Detroit’s Mason Appleton was positioning himself to fire the puck toward the Rangers’ open net. They had pulled their goalie in favor of an extra attacker. After the horn sounded to end the game, Appleton shot the puck into the net. It was nonchalant.

THE BENCHES CLEARED AFTER THE BUZZER IN NEW YORK 😱

Appleton shoots it into the empty net after the horn, and Jonathan Quick takes exception 😳 pic.twitter.com/e10kQEw6c9

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 17, 2025

In the NHL, it’s considered bad form to shoot a puck after the whistle, or this case, after the game was over. Some players view it as an insult. Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick apparently is among them. He skated toward Appleton to confront him. It probably didn’t help matters that Detroit captain Dylan Larkin skated over to Appleton to celebrate right after the puck was shot into the net.

Benches emptied. Players from both teams were soon jawing at each other about the perceived sleight.

Players paired up. Some wrestling. Pushing and shoving.  Quick was clearly angry and an official grabbed him and eventually escorted him off the ice.

A benches-clearing fight broke out in the Blueshirts’ 2-1 home loss to the Red Wings Sunday night.

Detroit's Mason Appleton shot the puck into the Rangers’ empty net after the game ended, and that didn’t appear to sit well with Jonathan Quick.

Read more: https://t.co/VfvjHhpAOz pic.twitter.com/GHLBxG0Uzs

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) November 17, 2025

Cooler heads prevailed and the brawl never happened. But it easily could have escalated.

“A couple seconds, the horn goes, and he shoots it like that,” Quick said. “I don’t know why they were surprised… boys jumped in, did the right thing.”

On social media, some praised Quick for his competitive spirit. Others thought it was much ado about nothing.

Jonathan Quick created a damn masterpiece and it had nothing to do with standing on his head for 40 saves. https://t.co/2hdS1MCVPE

— 610 (@610Barstool) November 17, 2025