Borer has another NHL first: a fight

PHILADELPHIA — Canes defenseman Casey Borer now has made the ESPN highlights. Also a spot on hockeyfights.com.

Borer tangled with the Philadelphia Flyers' Scott Hartnell on Thursday night, trading a few blows with the bruising forward during the Canes' 6-5 shootout loss.

The winner? Let's say Borer took more than he landed. He left the ice bleeding, a nasty cut over his left eye.

"That's definitely my first NHL fight," Borer said today. "I wasn't really out there looking to fight, but sometimes you have to do that."

Borer went after Hartnell after Hartnell landed a big blow on the Canes' Rod Brind'Amour, who bounced back up and started skating toward Hartnell. Borer, called up recently from the Albany River Rats, got there first.

"I heard somebody yelling," Borer said. "I think it was Timmy (Conboy). I think Timmy wanted to fight him. He's a better fighter than I am, obviously.

"If I had known that, I would have let him have it. But (Hartnell) took a hit on Roddy and you have to stick up for your teammates. That's part of the game."

Brind'Amour invited Borer to stay at his house in Raleigh for a few weeks before preseason training camp began. If there was an IOU, it's paid up now.