Jasper
12-25-03, 09:49 AM
UNIONDALE, N.Y. - A parade of Santas turned holiday cheer into anything but at Nassau Coliseum.
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031224/thumb.uni10212240147.flyers_islanders_uni102.jpg (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/031224/483/uni10212240147)
AP Photo (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/031224/483/uni10212240147)
The New York Islanders (news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22New%20York%20Islanders%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw)) offered a free ticket to Tuesday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers (news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22Philadelphia%20Flyers%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw)) to anyone who came dressed as Santa Claus.
After the first period, around 1,000 Santa-clad fans were invited onto the ice in their costumes. But the good will went somewhat awry when two Santas ripped off their jackets to reveal jerseys of the rival New York Rangers (news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22New%20York%20Rangers%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw)).
Some Santas, partial to the Islanders, jumped the ones with the Rangers jerseys. They were knocked to the ice and had the shirts ripped off during a melee in one corner of the rink.
Security tried their best to calm the fans down, but some took advantage and went sliding across the ice.
The entire parade took nearly nine minutes, and nearly delayed the start of the second period. The Islanders rallied in the third period for a 4-2 victory.
Islanders forward Arron Asham said the team wasn't aware of the in-between periods excitement. But when he was briefed, a smile came across his face.
"Awesome," Asham said.
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031224/thumb.uni10212240147.flyers_islanders_uni102.jpg (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/031224/483/uni10212240147)
AP Photo (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/031224/483/uni10212240147)
The New York Islanders (news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22New%20York%20Islanders%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw)) offered a free ticket to Tuesday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers (news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22Philadelphia%20Flyers%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw)) to anyone who came dressed as Santa Claus.
After the first period, around 1,000 Santa-clad fans were invited onto the ice in their costumes. But the good will went somewhat awry when two Santas ripped off their jackets to reveal jerseys of the rival New York Rangers (news (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22New%20York%20Rangers%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw)).
Some Santas, partial to the Islanders, jumped the ones with the Rangers jerseys. They were knocked to the ice and had the shirts ripped off during a melee in one corner of the rink.
Security tried their best to calm the fans down, but some took advantage and went sliding across the ice.
The entire parade took nearly nine minutes, and nearly delayed the start of the second period. The Islanders rallied in the third period for a 4-2 victory.
Islanders forward Arron Asham said the team wasn't aware of the in-between periods excitement. But when he was briefed, a smile came across his face.
"Awesome," Asham said.