Xhekaj stepped in last night to defuse tensions between the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs before things got heated. TVA reporter Rafael Lavoie, who was between the benches, shared what went down.
After that Domi backed down & the rest of the game was calm between the two teams. Xhekaj has proven to be an effective enforcer as the mere threat of him dropping the gloves was enough to silence the opposition.
This wasn't the only moment involving Xhekaj during the game. At one point he faced off with Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves who declined to fight. After the game Reaves was reportedly scratched by Leafs coach Craig Berube for their next game against the New Jersey Devils.
The Leafs, embarrassed by the Canadiens in a 1-0 loss, struggled offensively, partly due to an incredible 48-save shutout by Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault. Cole Caufield scored the only goal in the win.
Adding to the Leafs challenges, Joseph Woll started the season on injured reserve, forcing rookie goalie Dennis Hildeby to make his NHL debut against the Devils. Although many in the organization have high hopes for Hildeby, the original plan was to play him sparingly, especially with Matt Murray also on the roster but still waiting to make his return.
POLL | ||
10 OCTOBRE | 393 ANSWERS Missed on TV: Arber Xhekaj goes after Max Domi during commercial break in home opener Do you think Ryan Reaves and Arber Xhekaj will fight each other at some point this season? | ||
Yes | 318 | 80.9 % |
No | 75 | 19.1 % |
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