National Hockey League

A KHL player went on a rampage and tried to fight the entire opposing team

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:49 p.m. ET

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Pete Blackburn

It's still preseason in the KHL but there's no shortage of wild action and violence in the relatively meaningless games we've seen so far. Two coaches already brawled during a game over the weekend, and now we have this ugly scene from another exhibition game on Monday.

HC Barys faced off against the KHL's new Chinese team, Kunlun Red Star, and things got out of hand pretty quickly. Just a few minutes into the game, Barys player Damir Ryspayev delivered a cheap shot to the face of a Red Star player that left the player on the ice in obvious pain.

As play was halted, Ryspayev proceeded to approach several other Red Star players and challenge them to fight. Though none of them particularly appeared interested in devolving into preseason fisticuffs, the 21-year-old Barys player decided he was going to throw hands regardless. Ultimately, he took down several players before then heading to the Kunlun bench to see if anyone there wanted a piece of him.

Through all of this, referees seemed to be still in offseason mode. Not only did they fail to regain control of what was unfolding in front of them, it seemed like they didn't even try.

Ultimately, the player who was initially attacked by Ryspayev had to be stretchered off the ice and the game never resumed. The contest was called off after just three minutes of play.

As for Ryspayev, he has already been handed an indefinite suspension by the KHL. The league released the following statement after the game:

"Ryspayev's behavior has nothing to do with hockey and contradicts not only the rules, but also the spirit of our game. Such actions should not be tolerated only in matches involving clubs in the KHL, but also in sports in general."

The 21-year-old Ryspayev has exactly 0 points since entering the KHL with Barys in 2012. They probably won't miss him very much.

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