Hockey goalie needed just one, brutal punch to knock out the opposing goalie

The Cincinnati Cyclones and the Quad City Mallards squared off in an ECHL league game on Wednesday night, and at least when it came to the third period, I mean that quite literally.

The game devolved into a series of multiple skirmishes and brawls, all of which came to a head when the two respective goalies met a mid-ice and put their dukes up.

The fight ended quickly.

Mallards' goalie Adam Vay, who was at the heart of the initial brawl, dropped Cyclones goalie Michael Houser with a vicious left-right combination, though I think Houser was going down with the initial left if we're being honest.

-- patrick (@PeegeRiley) January 12, 2017

Here's another angle.

-- Stacey (@slvolks) January 12, 2017

My favorite part of the entire thing is Vay immediately tending to Houser after flattening him. Like, Oh, hey sorry there pal, really tagged you, huh?

Both goalies were assessed game misconducts and the Cyclones held on to win the game, 3-2.

Remember, goalies out there -- all the pads in the world will do nothing to stop a well-connected left if you've taken your helmet off.

(Thanks to SB Nation for sharing.)