Whether or not you agree that fighting has a place in hockey or not, you can't argue that both fans and players don't love watching it when it happens. The electricity of two competitors runs through the arena, and that can be heard when fans erupt as players drop their gloves.
The other night, though, this electricity was caught on video as the Leafs' bench when Ryan Reaves and Tanner Jeannot dropped the gloves. You can see Auston Matthews get fired up as Reaves drops Jeannot with a massive right hand.
It's clear that the Leafs were getting energy from the fight. While this didn't translate to success on the ice, it goes without saying that a fight like this can get the team energy that it didn't have and that it might even allow the players play with a little more freedom.
Fighting has made its resurgence in the NHL this year, with heavyweight fighters having their time in the spotlight. Just the other night, an old-school line brawl between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils broke out, with all players participating in the activities.
As seen on Blade of Steel - Maple Leafs bench reacts to Ryan Reaves TKO of Tanner Jeannot
POLL | ||
Did you see Ryan Reaves drop Tanner Jeannot live? | ||
Yes | 352 | 73.5 % |
No | 127 | 26.5 % |
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