Bystanders to a fatal fight between two hockey dads squared off on the witness stand Monday, with one telling jurors the defendant initiated the attack in a rage and another testifying it was the victim who sparked the assault.

The contradictory testimony from prosecution witnesses came on the third day of Thomas Junta's manslaughter trial in Cambridge, Mass. In what is considered the country's most extreme case of "sideline rage," Junta, a 44-year-old father of two, is accused of beating Michael Costin, the informal referee of a youth scrimmage, to death in front of his children after a disagreement about how the game was called.

Junta, who faces 20 years in prison if convicted, claims he was acting in self-defense after Costin sucker-punched him, and his account got support from prosecution witness Ryan Carr Monday afternoon. The 21-year-old hockey player, who had helped break up a previous pushing match between the men that day, said he saw Costin swivel and make a fist just as Junta came through the rink doors.

"I saw him immediately move to the left and throw a punch," said Carr. He said Junta held out his arms to protect himself and then grabbed Costin by the shoulders. The motion sent Costin, whom Junta outweighed by 100 pounds, falling backwards. The witness said Junta straddled his opponent and began punching him in the face, but Costin continued to attack.

"Mr. Costin appeared to be fighting back — trying to throw punches and flailing," said Carr.

His testimony, which is to continue Tuesday morning, differed from that of Nancy Blanchard, who was watching the fight from an opposing perspective. On Monday morning, she testified that Costin never offered any serious resistance to Junta, who seemed filled with rage rather than fear. Her gripping, often tearful testimony seemed deliver a blow to Junta's self-defense claim.

Blanchard

"His face was very red. He had what looked to me like an angry face. His hands were clenched," she said, recalling the moments at the Burbank Ice Arena in Reading July 5, 2000, before Junta pinned Costin to the ground and beat him unconscious.

She recounted calling 911 after the first pushing match between the two men. When a rink employee and two male customers separated them and Junta left the arena, Blanchard redialed 911 to tell police there was no reason to send officers.

Several minutes later, she testified, Junta burst back into the rink.

"I put my hand up and I said, 'You can't come in,'" she testified. But Junta pushed her into a wall, causing a large bruise on her forearm, and continued into the building, slamming a door as he went, she said.

Police photo — Blanchard's bruise

Once through the door, Blanchard said, Junta immediately encountered Costin.

"The two of them just started right at each other," she said. Both were swinging, but she only saw Junta's jabs connecting. She said she left briefly to call 911 and when she looked again, "Mr. Junta grabbed Mr. Costin and he had him by the shoulder and he threw him to the floor."

Blanchard said Junta pinned Costin down with a knee and punched him in the head or neck at least six or seven times. Costin's arms and legs were waving weakly, but he was not fighting back.

"I screamed for him to stop. I think I screamed, 'You're going to kill him,'" said Blanchard, through tears.

Carr, the hockey player, did not see the manner in which Junta entered the rink and said he did not remember anyone else, including Blanchard during the fight. He also testified that none of Costin's punches or kicks landed on Junta and he only counted Junta delivering three punches, the number Junta's defense claims. After the third, Costin seemed to go into a "defensive mode" and stopped fighting back, Carr said. Carr then grabbed Junta and lifted him off Costin, he said.

Blanchard testified that Junta eventually stopped and without uttering a word left the rink. She said she was crouched over Costin, checking for a pulse. He moaned and then Blanchard noticed his condition worsen. "His eyes changed," she testified. "They got very large and very dark, and the side of his head was getting very, very dark."

A forensic pathologist testified Friday that trauma to Costin's head and neck caused an ultimately fatal artery tear.

A third eyewitness to the fight, a 13-year-old ice skating student named Rachel (her last name was withheld), testified that she saw the beginning of the fight from the snack bar. She said that, as soon as Junta entered the rink, he tackled Costin.

Also Monday, jurors heard Junta's audiotaped statement to police, taken a few hours after the fight and while doctors were still trying to save Costin's life.

In it, Junta defended his actions during the fight, saying of Costin, "He could've been a black belt for all I know."

At the close of the interview, he said, "I wish the whole thing wouldn't have happened, and I hope the guy is fine."