What was supposed to be an innocent pre-season game between the Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers quickly caught the attention of the hockey world.
Max Domi, who was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes this past offseason in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk, certainly made an impression in his Habs debut at the Bell Centre, but for all the wrong reasons.
The impact he made was literally on the face of Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad, as the former Coyote unleashed a sucker punch on Ekblad when the two were tied up in the Panthers zone early in the third period.
You can watch it by clicking on the link below.
You can see Ekblad not wanting any part of Domi, as he even looked over at the ref to try and get his attention while Domi is throwing jabs at his face with his glove on. The son of Tie Domi then dropped his right glove where he then connected his fist right into Ekblad’s face, dropping the defenceman to the ice before a melee ensued.
A two-minute roughing penalty along with a match penalty and game misconduct, resulting in Domi’s removal from the game.
Following the game – in which the Panthers won 5-2 – TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun tweeted that the NHL is looking at further discipline, likely resulting in a suspension for the 23-year-old.
The NHL confirmed that late Wednesday night.
Ekblad, who’s had concussion issues in the past, was removed from the game by the NHL and was evaluated under protocol. He left the game with a bloodied face and was visibly upset.
Here’s how the hockey world reacted:
The Panthers will get their first crack at the Habs this season on December 28th down in Florida. You can bet that some of the Panthers will be circling that one on the calendar.
