‘Ice Guardians’ Is A Good Look At Fighting In Hockey

"As someone who has only the vaguest knowledge of the rules of hockey and not much interest in the game itself, I was surprised when the documentary Ice Guardians still managed to be a fairly engaging experience. It’s made clear quickly that hockey is an inherently violent sport, and has been this way since the very first game. Much of the film is centered around the fights that break out between players in a hockey rink. Not the individual fights themselves, for there would be far too many to talk about. Fighting isn’t discouraged; and it happens quite frequently. What drives hockey players to participate in fighting? How does it affect them? Why are fans and players alike so drawn to it? All of these questions and more are explored in-depth in Ice Guardians."