Rare Captain's Fight Sparks Fiery NHL Clash in Toronto
An uncharacteristic and fiery fight between two NHL stars became the major talking point as the Toronto Maple Leafs secured a convincing 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. The encounter at Scotiabank Arena saw Leafs forward Matthew Knies and Devils captain Nico Hischier drop their gloves and exchange blows in a surprising third-period scrap.
With his team trailing by two goals, Hischier, not known for fisticuffs, was seen exchanging tense words with Knies before the pair simultaneously grabbed hold of each other. Their gloves flew off as they engaged in a chaotic tussle, eventually spilling onto the ice. The altercation continued as they regained their footing, with two referees attempting to intervene; one official was even dragged down in the melee.
Keefe's Mixed Reaction to Captain's Stand
While condemning violence, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe expressed a degree of pride in his captain's unexpected show of spirit. "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. "But we do need some guys to step up to show some emotion, and show some balls, and play with some urgency... So to that end, I like it. I like that Nico did it and hopefully it rubs off on the rest of the group."
The fight overshadowed a standout performance from Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll, who made 33 saves to record his first shutout of the season. It was his first clean sheet since November 20, 2024, and anchored Toronto's third win in four games.
Leafs' Offensive Spread Seals Comfortable Win
Offensively, the Leafs shared the scoring burden. Bobby McMann opened the scoring on the power play late in the first period, and Nicolas Roy added another just as a subsequent man-advantage expired. Calle Jarnkrok netted his first goal since November 1 in the third period, and Matthew Knies, fresh from his fight, sealed the 4-0 win with an empty-net goal.
The victory was achieved despite a depleted lineup. Toronto, playing their third game in four nights, were without William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Chris Tanev, and Dakota Joshua due to various injuries.
For the Devils, the fight from their captain was a rare bright spot in a frustrating night where they outshot the Leafs 33-30 but failed to solve Woll. The goaltender was particularly stellar late in the second period, making a crucial stop on Jesper Bratt during a Devils power play.
