A Detroit Red Wings fan was arrested in Boston during the Red Wings run to the team's 25th straight playoff appearance.

According to ClickOnDetroit.com,

Jeff Farrugia, 32, a Harrison Township native, was arrested at TD Garden Arena Thursday night after he tossed an octopus onto the ice during the third period of the Bruins game and was ultimately charged with disturbing a public assembly, a misdemeanor.

However, the argument could be made that this overzealous fan had little understanding or regard to the Red Wings fans' octopus-tossing tradition.

The Legend of the Octopus dates back to the 1952 NHL playoffs, when it took victories in two best-of-seven series - or eight wins - to claim the Stanley Cup. The eight legs of the octopus represented the eight needed wins. Today two octopus banners hang at the Red Wings home arena to represent the sixteen wins it currently takes to claim the Cup.

A redditor posting on the r/Michigan subreddit correctly notes that the octopus tradition is intended for the Stanley Cup play-off run not the games leading up to it.


Here's how the incident looked on the Boston Bruins home broadcast on NESN with the announcers noting in a somewhat surprised tone, "Did someone throw an octopus on the ice? Detroit does travel well."

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