Massive hockey brawl erupts at National Youth Games in China

A viral video of hockey’s dark side has quickly been circulating throughout social media on Thursday.

While we’ve seen line brawls break out in the sport before, this isn’t one of them. The clip, recorded late in a game between Hong Kong and Shenzhen at the National Youth Games in China, simply shows one frustrated team beating the you-know-what out of another.

According to Chan Kin-wa of the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong was leading the game 11-2 in the final minute of the third period when members of the Shenzhen squad (in red) began wailing on their opponents.

The video shows two Shenzhen players teaming up on a Hong Kong skater while members of the audience yell for the assault to stop and a number of other bouts occur in the background.

In a word, the entire incident was gutless. And, thankfully, those involved have been rightfully punished for their actions.

While no major injuries as a result of the skirmish have been reported, the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association said that three Shenzhen players involved have been banned from competition for one year, per Kin-wa.

The National Youth Games is an event for athletes under the age of 19.

More hockey coverage on Yahoo Sports