Thornton On Fighting: Don't Mind If It Needs To Be Done
BOSTON (CBS) – It seems like one of the only things that can get the Boston Bruins going these days is Shawn Thornton throwing down the gloves and getting into a tussle.
"I don't mind doing it if it needs to be done," Thornton told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich on Thursday. "I think they were ready to go last game. But it was 1-0, a bad bounce and it could have been a here we go again."
So far this season, Thornton has taken on the opposition four times. The Bruins are 2-2 when their fiery fourth-liner throws down.
"The guys responded, they came out and played the right way after. So it worked," he said of his most recent fight with Ottawa's Zenon Konopka.
Konopka is a former team and line mate of Thornton's during his AHL days in Portland, Maine. In fact, three of Thornton's fights this season have come against former teammates.
"I've been around a long time, so it probably happens more than you think," said Thornton.
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While Thornton hopes the fights give his team a boost on the ice, he says he tries to always remain in control when throwing the hay-makers.
"I try not to fight enraged too often anyways, because I like to be in control and be able to see where punches are coming from. There's a little more of a science to it than you think," he said.
His fight with Konopka gave the Bruins the spark they needed, and Thornton said he was happy with the way his team played.
"We had to get back to the way we have to play. It was only one game, but we did a lot of things right," said Thornton. "One of them not hanging our heads when we had a couple bad bounces go against us again. They went in the back of our net, and we were down by a goal. We crawled our way back and ended up winning the game. It's only the second time we've done that this season."
"Hopefully it's a step in the right direction. Saturday will be a good test, make sure our heads are in the right place," he said.
Listen to Thornton in it's entirety, including his thoughts on linemate Daniel Paille!
