In today’s NHL, you can be one clean hit away from starting a fight. It seems as if every time a player gets dropped someone is there to retaliate by unleashing their fists. We saw another example of this scenario last night when Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matt Martin leveled St. Louis Blues forward Kyle Brodziak.
Brodziak cleared the puck behind his own goal early in the first period. Matt Martin saw the play develop earlier in the offensive zone and zeroed in on the unsuspecting Brodziak. Martin leveled Brodziak and a scuffle occurred. Chris Thorburn came to the aid of Brodziak, who saved a goal being from being scored as the ref blew the whistle seconds before Frederik Gauthier potted the puck in the back of the net.
Both men, who have experience fighting at the NHL level, failed to land any stunning shots. The biggest takeaway from the fight was the non-goal that ensued during the play. Brodziak was up moments after being lambasted by Martin, and the Blues went on to drop the Leafs in OT, 2-1.
