In a fiery and unexpected turn of events, New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier dropped the gloves for a rare fight with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies during a decisive 4-0 victory for the home side on Tuesday night.
An Uncharacteristic Clash on the Ice
The confrontation erupted during the third period at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena, with the Devils trailing by two goals. After a tense verbal exchange, Hischier and Knies simultaneously grabbed each other and began trading blows in a chaotic scrap that saw their gloves fly off before both players tumbled to the ice.
As they regained their feet and continued to grapple, two referees attempted to intervene. The struggle was so intense that one official was dragged down to the ice in the melee. For Hischier, now in his eighth season with New Jersey, such a physical altercation is highly unusual, marking a stark departure from his typical on-ice conduct.
Coach's Mixed Reaction to Captain's Fight
While not condoning violence, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe expressed a degree of pride in his captain's willingness to show spirit for his team. "I mean, do I want our captain fighting when we're down two nothing in the third period? Absolutely not," Keefe told reporters post-game.
He continued, "But we do need some guys to step up to show some emotion, and show some balls, and play with some urgency and competitiveness and step out of character. Yeah, we need more of that. So to that end, I like it. I like that Nico did it and hopefully it rubs off on the rest of the group in a positive way."
Woll's Shutout Seals Maple Leafs Victory
The fight was a dramatic moment in what was otherwise a commanding performance by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Goaltender Joseph Woll was impeccable, making 33 saves to secure his first shutout of the season and his first since November 20, 2024.
The Maple Leafs' scoring was spread across the lineup:
- Bobby McMann opened the scoring on the power play late in the first period.
- Nicolas Roy added a redirect goal just as another power play expired, with McMann getting the primary assist.
- Calle Jarnkrok scored in the third period for his first goal since November 1.
- Matthew Knies capped the night with an empty-net goal.
Toronto, playing their third game in four nights since the Christmas break, secured the win despite being without key players William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Chris Tanev, and Dakota Joshua due to injuries. The victory marks the Maple Leafs' (18-15-6) third win in their last four outings.
