- Brandon Hagel dropped Juraj Slafkovsky with a right hand
- Hagel flashed a “too small” gesture heading to the box
- Watch below for the fight that lit up Game 2
Brandon Hagel was not in the mood for friendly conversation.
The Lightning winger and Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky exchanged words after a whistle early in the second period of Game 2, then dropped the gloves at center ice.
Slafkovsky threw first and connected with a few shots of his own before Hagel landed a clean right hand that sent him to the ice.
Watch the sequence below:
Slafkovsky popped right back up, which is exactly what you expect from a guy who just scored an overtime hat trick in Game 1. Give the 21-year-old credit for answering the challenge against one of the Lightning’s most physical players.
Both guys got fighting majors and headed off for five.
On his way to the box, Hagel flashed a “too small” gesture at Slafkovsky, then followed it with a sleeping motion once he got to the box.
That is not going to de-escalate anything in this series. Game 2 was already chippy before the fight, with McDonagh racking up four roughing penalties on his own.
Tampa eventually pulled out a 3-2 overtime win on a J.J. Moser goal to tie the series 1-1. Hagel scored the opening goal and added an assist on Nikita Kucherov’s third-period equalizer. Slafkovsky was held off the scoresheet after his four-point Game 1.
The series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday night. These two are going to see plenty of each other, and I’d be stunned if this was the last time they tangle.
I can’t argue with Hagel picking on the bigger guy. Slafkovsky is 6’3″ and the one who buried the Lightning in Game 1. If you’re going to send a message, you send it to the guy who actually hurt you.
