Mark Scheifele is a big guy. And when Hurricanes’ Brett Pesce gave him a check, following a trip from goalie Petr Mrazek, he had enough.
It all led to a fight in front of the fans at PNC Arena.
It’s safe to say that it’s been a while since Mark Scheifele threw his gloves and went into a fight at a professional hockey rink. Last time that officially happened was way back in the OHL in 2012.
However, last night in Carolina, the Jets forward went at it.
Late in the third period, trailing by three goals, Scheifele got tripped up by goalie Petr Mrazek. While laying on the ice, Carolina defenceman Brett Pesce threw a check in his back. It turned out to be a bad idea.
Scheifele had enough, threw his gloves and engaged in his first fight off his NHL career.
Throwing four punches, though falling first to the ground, Scheifele surely made a statement for the Jets as the team has been struggling lately.
Asked about the fight postgame, he pointed out he didn’t threw his gloves out of frustration.
“It was passion. This is a beautiful hockey game, Pesce’s a great hockey player, he played hard all night and once in a while you drop the gloves and have at ‘er”, Scheifele told Winnipeg Jets writer Mike McIntyre.
Blake Wheeler on the Scheifele fight:
“I like to play with guys that are willing to lay it on the line. He’s a guy I’d go to bat with any day. I don’t love their guy throwing punches on the ground. Anybody can throw punches on the ground. That will come back to him”.
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