It was an unexpected fight between two USHL goaltenders. Sioux Falls hosted its 18th Wiener Dog Race on February 7. Their sold-out matchup against Fargo Force saw intense aggression from both teams. Sioux goaltender Aiden Wright got into a goalie fight with Fargo’s Alan Lendak. Fans were thrilled to see the two goaltenders face off and were hoping for a knockout on the ice. But the fight ended before they could see a decisive outcome.
It was a packed game between Sioux Falls and Fargo Force. Looking to fire up the crowd, Sioux goaltender Wright picked a fight in the third period as he skated toward Fargo’s goaltender, Alan Lendak, positioning himself for a brawl. He threw off his gloves, and Lendak prepared to engage. As Wright approached, Lendak threw the first punch. Wright responded aggressively, taking control of the fight and landing punches in an attempt to knock Lendak down.
However, the referees quickly intervened and stopped the fight. Wright seemed to embody the aggressive energy of Wiener Dog Night. The situation was eventually brought under control, but Wright left the ice with both hands raised as fans cheered.
WE GOT A GOALIE FIGHT DOWN IN THE USHL pic.twitter.com/Ihgb6RenRz
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) February 9, 2025
The fight was stopped abruptly without explanation, and fans were not happy. They missed out on seeing how it would have ended. Many argued that stopping the fight went against the unwritten hockey rule that fights should continue until one player goes down.
Fans Furious After Referees Stop the Fight
Fans were expecting an intense showdown between Sioux Falls’ Aiden Wright and Fargo Force’s Alan Lendak, but referee interference killed the excitement. The reaction on social media was filled with frustration.
One fan commented, “Ref almost ruined it.” Many believed the fight could have ended with a knockout. With Wright appearing to have the upper hand, video footage suggests that his punches could have easily knocked Lendak down—but the referees intervened before it could happen.
Fans were excited to see the two goalies fight. They didn’t back down when the referees stepped in, but just as Wright was close to knocking out Lendak, officials broke it up. One fan commented, “These guys didn’t back down, but the ref stepped in too early.”
Another fan, upset about the interference, wrote, “LET THE GOALIES FIGHT!!!!” The referees stepping in to stop the fight was not well received. One fan commented, “Outta the way, refs.” Another, mistakenly referring to them as linesmen, asked, “Why do the linesmen keep getting involved? Let them fight.”
One fan even suggested that the referees should be penalized for stepping in too early, arguing that it went against the spirit of hockey fights: “Refs should have caught an accidental hook for getting in the way like that.”
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