The two Czechs are friends off the ice, but Mrazek jumped in to protect Chicago teammate MacKenzie Entwistle when Gudas got the better of the Blackhawks forward.
Petr Mrazek has flashed his fiery spirit during a resurgent 2023-24 season in nets for the Chicago Blackhawks. Usually it's focused on stopping and handling the puck, and barking out directions to his defensemen.
The 32-year-old Czech goalie also isn't afraid to drop his catch glove and blocker and mix it up with an opponent, even when that player is one of the NHL's toughest customers.
An old-fashioned brawl led to Mrazek and then Anaheim goalie John Gibson joining the fray in the Blackhawks 7-2 win over the Ducks on Tuesday.
With Chicago already up 6-2, rugged Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi got into it with Anaheim's Mason McTavish behind the Blackhawks net at 9:18 of the third period.
Then players paired off in a hurry. Chicago forward MacKenzie Entwistle found himself in a real punchout with Ducks tough guy Radko Gudas.
"Everyone came in and I was one of the last guys in the pile and you just kind of try to grab someone," Entwistle said. "It just happened to be Gudas."
The 6-foot, 210-pound Gudas, second in the league in penalty minutes with 124, quickly had the rangy 6-foot-3, 185-pound Entwistle down on the ice and was hammering away.
Mrazek: "Thought That Was Enough"
Mrazek was nearby and jumped in to help Entwistle. Mrazek, like Gudas, is from the the Czech Republic and knows the defenseman whose nicknames include "The Butcher."
"I know Gudie really well and he's a friend of mine," Mrazek said. "I thought he (Entwistle) was going to be in trouble. He was on the ice and I just thought that was enough, so I needed to get between them and stop that.
"I'm not a boxer or a fighter or anything, but you're in a game and you're in the moment. Whatever happens, you just go in"
And getting involved with Gudas?
"We all know how he is on the ice, right," Mrazek said. "He's a tough guy, but off the ice he's one of the nicest people I know. He just brings that into that game."
Entwistle said he appreciated the help.
"I think I owe Mrazek some lunch or something," Entwistle said. "I think he saved me. I didn't even have my gloves off and I was eating some punches, but that's hockey."
Anaheim goalie John Gibson came down the ice and eventually paired off with Mrazek. The two didn't fight, just grabbed each other with a referee between them.
Both Mrazek and Gibson were assessed misconducts and two-minute minors for leaving the crease in the brouhaha. In total, four players from each team were penalized.
Chicago coach Luke Richardson said there was some confusion on how to sort it all out.
Neither goalie was actually tossed, but teams needed to designate another player to leave the game in their places. Chicago gave top defenseman Seth Jones the rest of the night off after he already had logged 20:16 of ice time.
Anaheim coach Greg Cronin pulled Gibson and sent in backup Lukas Dostal. See Richardson in the following video:
Mrazek Top Comeback Player
Mrazek has had a solid season after a groin injury hampered him the previous two years with Toronto and then Chicago. He entered Thursday with a 3.08 goals-against average and .906 save percentage on a last-place team that has provided him the least goal support of any No. 1 goalie in the league.
Mrazek signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract extension with the Blackhawks in late January.