NYPD Wins 3-2 Over FDNY in Charity Hockey Game with Brawls

Fights erupted during the annual charity hockey game between the New York Police Department and the Fire Department of New York on March 29, 2026, at UBS Arena on Long Island, as the rivals clashed on the ice before the NYPD claimed a 3-2 victory, their first over the FDNY in nearly a decade.

The matchup, marking the 52nd edition of the Battle of the Badges since its start in 1974, began with intensity just eight minutes in. With the score tied at 1-1 near center ice, players from both teams dropped their gloves and engaged in a line brawl, pairing off as punches flew. Referees intervened to separate the skaters, sending several to the penalty box, while linesmen monitored the action to prevent injuries. The game, held to benefit the PBA Widows and Children's Fund, the Uniformed Fire Officers Association Widows and Children's Fund, and the Ray Pfeifer Foundation, proceeded after the disruption.

Tensions simmered through the second period but boiled over again in the closing seconds of the third. Trailing 3-2, the FDNY pulled their goalie in a desperate push to tie the score. As time expired, a firefighter crashed the net for a rebound, prompting a defenseman from the NYPD to...