If you never got a chance to see the Detroit Red Wings’ famous brawl with the Colorado Avalanche in 1997, or you just want to relive all the gory glory, you’ll get your chance Saturday on the 25th anniversary of “Fight Night at the Joe” with two of the main participants.
Wings legend Darren McCarty and Claude Lemieux, the Avalanche hero and Hockeytown villain who famously turtled while taking a beating from McCarty, will watch the game together and offer blow-by-blow commentary from 5-9 p.m. Saturday at Fifth Avenue Royal Oak.
The sports bar at 215 W. 5th Street is billing the event “Fight Night Reloaded.” Tickets are $50 and available at fightnightreloaded.ticketleap.com.
[ ‘Fight Night’ united Red Wings on path to Stanley Cup and became part of hockey lore ]
After a replay of the game, McCarty and Lemieux will take part in a question-and-answer session. McCarty watches a replay of the game every year and said he’s looking forward to seeing his old nemesis again.
“It’s one of those things,” McCarty said. “I know how it ends, but I still get those feelings back that I did about getting behind or whatever else or the emotion. That’s why I love sharing. That’s why we’re doing the Fifth Avenue.
“Claude Lemieux’s actually coming into town. We’re going to watch the game and him and I are going to have a conversation 25 years later. I’ve got questions for him.”
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Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.