Watch: Bobrovsky-Nedeljkovic fight video goes viral as goalies trade punches during NFL game in Florida

A rare goalie fight between Sergei Bobrovsky and Alex Nedeljkovic sent social media into a frenzy as video of the two trading punches in Florida went viral. The heated clash, which broke out during an NFL regular season game between the Florida Panthers and San Jose Sharks at the venue, stunned fans and quickly became one of the most talked-about sports moments of the night, drawing widespread reactions online. The altercation erupted six minutes into the third period with San Jose holding a 3–1 lead inside Amerant Bank Arena. Tensions flared after Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues delivered a hit on Sharks defenseman Vincent Desharnais behind San Jose’s net. Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic skated over, shoved Rodrigues and began throwing punches, triggering the dramatic goalie confrontation that followed.


Bobrovsky, who was watching the whole episode from the far end, lost his cool as the 37-year-old goalie skated the full length of the ice, heading straight for Nedeljkovic. As he crossed into San Jose’s zone, Bobrovsky dropped his gloves, clearly signaling his intent. Nedeljkovic accepted the challenge, and the two goalies traded punches for about 20 seconds before losing their balance and falling to the ice.



Both goalies were handed five-minute majors for fighting, along with additional two-minute minors for leaving their creases, reported AP. San Jose went on to secure a 4–1 victory, drawing level with the Panthers at 53 points for the season.

According to USA today, the clash marked the NHL’s first goalie fight since February 1, 2020, when then-Edmonton Oilers netminder Mike Smith squared off against former Calgary Flames goalie Cam Talbot. Incidentally, the game marked Bobrovsky’s 905th NHL appearance, and it was the first time in his career that he dropped the gloves for a fight.