The game hadn't started yet, but Newfoundland Growlers captain James Melindy appeared to have a score to settle.

Melindy and the Brampton Beast's Mike Folkes, already dressed for Sunday's game in Brampton, Ont., duked it out in front of the Beast dressing room.

A video of the fight shows both players landing punches near the entrance to the rink, as families and teammates look on.

Both players were benched for Sunday's game, and the ECHL issued a hefty seven-game suspension to each player Tuesday afternoon.

Melindy and Folkes were also "fined an undisclosed amount as a result of their actions," the league announced.

Under the league's collective agreement, player fines collected by the ECHL are deposited into a player's hardship fund.

Both teams have also been fined but the league hasn't revealed the amount.

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