'Fight Night Reloaded': McCarty, Lemieux team up for watch party, autograph signing

All these years later, the epic "Fight Night at The Joe" has proven to be a modestly profitable enterprise for Darren McCarty and Claude Lemieux.

McCarty, the Red Wings' popular enforcer, and Lemieux, the Colorado Avalanche star scorer, will be together again Saturday night in Royal Oak, holding a 25th-anniversary watch party and fan question-and-answer session at the Fifth Avenue bar.

Tickets for the event, dubbed "Fight Night Reloaded," are $50. Fans can watch the March 26, 1997, Avalanche-Red Wings game with McCarty and Lemieux. They will provide commentary throughout the broadcast, and then will answer fans question. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m., and tickets are available HERE.

During the game at Joe Louis Arena on March 26, 1997, a fight broke out between Peter Forsberg and Igor Larionov, stopping play — at which point McCarty decked an unsuspecting Lemieux, dropping him to the ice.

Several fights broke out at that point, and more throughout the game, including a second between McCarty and Lemieux. Tensions had long been rising between the Red Wings, the 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup champions, and the Avalanche, the 1996 Stanley Cup champions.

McCarty and Lemieux will continue their joint publicity tour Sunday for an autograph signing at Pro Sports Zone at Laurel Park Mall in Livonia. The signing is from noon-3 p.m., and also will include ex-Avalanche player Adam Foote. Autographs are $45 (Lemieux), $40 (Foote) and $25 McCarty. Details HERE.

We're running a new-subscriber special. Support local journalism, and subscribe here.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tonypaul1984