National Doughnut Day brings back memories of 'You fat pig' NHL fight
How are sports and doughnuts related? By insults, that’s how.
To celebrate National Doughnut Day, Paste BN Sports takes a trip down memory lane to the infamous “Have another doughnut” insult that rocked the 1988 NHL playoffs and shook the hockey universe.
On May 6, 1988, after losing to the Boston Bruins 6-1, New Jersey Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld decided to express his extreme displeasure in Game 3’s officiating to referee Don Koharski. So after the final horn, Schoenfeld confronted Koharski, who ultimately fell down during the exchange.
Then the verbal jabs ensued. Koharski, in the pre-social media, camera-phone era, said Schoenfeld was “gone” for the next game, and he hoped the altercation was caught on camera. Schoenfeld did, too, believing Koharski slipped and fell on his own. He then delivered a line that would live in hockey lore:
“You fell, you fat pig! Have another doughnut! Have another doughnut!”
The NHL suspended Schoenfeld, and without an opportunity for an appeal, then-GM Lou Lamoriello got a restraining order that forced the league to allow Schoenfeld to coach in Game 4. As a result, the furious referees skated off the ice and went on strike.
The NHL found replacement refs, who wore yellow practice jerseys. That led to many missed calls, several mismanaged fights and a black eye on the league.
The Bruins went on to win the series, then lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals.
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