“Bang! Bang! Bang!” – Former NHL Enforcer Nick Tarnasky Goes Viral After Explosive Golf Course Brawl Ends With a Lake Dunk and Flurry of Punches
What started as a quiet summer afternoon on a peaceful Alberta golf course quickly turned into something out of a WWE pay-per-view, as former NHL tough guy Nick Tarnasky found himself at the center of a wild, full-blown brawl that ended with one man soaking wet and the internet in stitches.
Though the altercation took place on July 4, the video didn’t gain traction until July 8. But once it hit social media, there was no stopping it. It exploded across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, where fans couldn’t get enough of the 6’2″, 230-pound enforcer delivering a humiliating beatdown with the now-iconic chant: “Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The viral moment has already inspired thousands of memes, fan edits, and even mock endorsements from NBA commentator Mike Breen, who’s famous for his own “Bang!” catchphrase during clutch basketball shots. Now, Tarnasky may have just created the golf course remix.
How It Started: Booze, Belligerence, and Bad Decisions
The footage begins innocently enough. Tarnasky and his group can be seen approaching a group ahead of them, who were playing at a snail’s pace. As the former NHLer’s party waits politely, two visibly intoxicated men start mouthing off, clearly irked by the perceived pressure from the group behind them.
One of the golfers—shirt untucked, swinging a club like a prop—begins spewing insults and slurring challenges. He sarcastically taunts Tarnasky to “cry about it,” despite clearly being the aggressor.
Nick, for his part, tries to de-escalate the situation. You can hear him in the background urging calm. But things quickly go off the rails.
From Peacekeeper to Punisher: The Moment Everything Snapped
In the full video that’s now circulating, the instigator finally gets up in Tarnasky’s face. He takes off his sunglasses and gloves like he’s stepping into the Octagon, then charges at the former NHL bruiser. It was a horrific miscalculation.
Tarnasky side-steps him with ease, grabs him by the torso, and in one motion hurls him into a lake beside the fairway like a bag of trash. Golf bags fly, shouts erupt—and the stunned crowd watches the drenched man resurface, visibly shaken but still defiant.
Nick Tarnasky (Photos via Instagram)
But he made a second mistake: he tried to continue the fight.
That’s when Tarnasky walked over and, with surgical precision, unleashed a controlled but relentless series of punches, each one punctuated with a booming shout:
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
It was as much a chant as it was a beating—delivered with restraint, but undeniable force. Tarnasky never crossed the line into full-out brutality. But he sent a message, both to his opponent and the internet.
Who Is Nick Tarnasky?
Golf fight (Photos via Twitter)
For those unfamiliar with his hockey résumé, Nick Tarnasky was never the flashy goal-scorer. He was the guy who protected the stars. A certified enforcer, Tarnasky played over 250 NHL games for teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, and Florida Panthers. He was known for his strength, size, and no-nonsense attitude on the ice.
His role was to drop gloves when needed—and this viral video just proved that even in retirement, those instincts never leave.
Fans have been quick to point that out. “You can take the man out of the NHL,” one comment read, “but you can’t take the enforcer out of the man.”
Another joked, “This is the first time in golf history someone’s earned a five-minute major for fighting.”
Social Media Reacts: Mike Breen, Bang Memes, and Lake Legends
It didn’t take long before fans began editing the footage with NBA announcer Mike Breen’s voice overlaying the punches:
“Bang! … Bang! … BAAANG!!!”
“He throws him in the lake! Count it and the foul!”
Some speculated on potential collaborations between the two—”Imagine Mike Breen and Tarnasky in a commercial for ‘Bang Energy Drink’”—while others turned the brawl into video game-style highlight reels complete with health bars and KO counters.
A Twitter post featuring the video has already surpassed 12 million views, with #BangBangBang trending for several hours. The golf course, whose name hasn’t been released yet, is now jokingly being referred to as “Lake Nick” and “The Tarnasky Tee Off.”
You can see the entire fight here:
Fans Praise Tarnasky for Restraint and Self-Control
Interestingly, much of the reaction has been supportive of Tarnasky, with people praising how he handled the situation. Despite being provoked, insulted, and physically charged, he only acted after being attacked—and even then, kept his punches measured and non-lethal.
“He could have killed that guy,” one Redditor wrote. “The fact that all he did was give him a swim and a few taps shows crazy restraint for a guy who used to fight professionally.”
Others echoed the sentiment, saying this wasn’t a man looking for a fight—it was a man finishing one, only when forced.
The Takeaway: Never Fight a Former NHL Enforcer on a Golf Course
This isn’t just a cautionary tale—it’s an internet folk legend in the making. Nick Tarnasky didn’t just win a fight; he earned viral immortality with one of the most unexpectedly hilarious and brutal moments caught on camera this year.
While the loudmouth may have lost a few teeth and a lot of dignity, the rest of us gained a meme, a catchphrase, and one more reason to respect hockey’s code of toughness.
As for Tarnasky, he hasn’t made an official comment yet. But if you ask the internet?
He doesn’t need to.
He already said everything with three perfect words:
