Norm Sanders
© Belleville News-Democrat, The (IL)
December 22, 2000

ST. LOUIS --- Tyson Nash wasn't exactly minding his own business, but the pesky St. Louis Blues winger found himself in the middle of another scrap Wednesday in New York.

Nash hit Rangers tough guy Brad Brown along the boards, which apparently didn't go over too well with a minute and 26 seconds remaining in the Blues' 6-3 win.

Brown chased Nash down behind the net, cross-checked him in the back of the head and then began pounding him with punches before a pileup slowed things down.

Brown picked up a minor penalty, a major for fighting and a game misconduct. He also got another poke in the face from Nash while they were being separated.

Nash was assessed a roughing minor and a fighting major.

"In all honesty, I really didn't mean to punch him in the face," Nash said Thursday when asked how it all started. "I hit him pretty good on the button and he was pretty upset and wanted to get back at me.

"I don't know how I ended up getting so many penalties, but they wanted to get us both out of the game and into our dressing rooms before anything else heated up."

Earlier in the game, Brown (6-4, 218) had bloodied the eye of Blues enforcer Reed Low during a fight. Knowing that, Nash insisted he wasn't looking to rile the angry Ranger.

"I'd be punching the wrong guy if I meant to," Nash said. "He's definitely out of my league. He cross-checked me in the back of the neck and then he just started throwing punches.

"I got a little mark over the eye, but nothing to write home about."

Low's eye was nearly swollen shut Thursday.

"Sixteen fighting majors, you're bound to get one black eye," Nash said. "Even after (Brown) got him he still kept punching, so you've got to respect the guy."