There was unhealthy blood between the groups after Monday’s game by which Capitals enforcer Tom Wilson dedicated a collection of penalties, together with one which knocked Rangers’ star Artemi Panarin out for the remainder of the season with a decrease physique harm.
It left the Rangers feeling the necessity to take issues into their very own palms when the groups met once more on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
And it did not take lengthy for fists to fly. As quickly as the puck dropped to mark the start of the game, three fights broke out concurrently.
Shortly after, when Wilson took to the ice for the primary time, he was instantly attacked by a Washington participant.
In the primary interval alone, 20 penalties have been issued, together with 10 within the first minute.
The game noticed a complete of 141 penalty minutes with 100 of these coming within the first interval.
“I thought it was a great response. And hats off to them for answering the bell. They knew our frustration. We solved it and played the rest of the game.
“Most of the blokes that fought at this time have been fairly disenchanted and would have favored to reply within the earlier game. The guys that needed to step up did.”
Amidst all the fighting, the Capitals were eventually victorious, beating the Rangers 4-2 thanks in part to a hat trick from winger T.J. Oshie.
Oshie, who missed Monday’s clash due to the death of his father due to Alzheimer’s, was visibly emotional on the bench after scoring.
Bad blood
Wilson is known for his tough, rugged play on the ice — he’s been suspended five times by the NHL — but the Rangers viewed his actions in Monday’s match as a step too far.
His $5,000 fine was officially for punching Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich in the back of the head while he was face down on the ice during a scrum by the Rangers’ goal on Monday.
During the game, Wilson was assessed two minor penalties for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct for the incident.
But that wasn’t his only transgression, as later on, Panarin jumped on Wilson’s back to break up another altercation after which, Wilson appeared to grab the Rangers winger by the hair and whip him head first into the ice.
The New York team said Panarin will not play again this season after sustaining a lower body injury and called NHL’s head of player safety George Parros unfit to continue in his position after handing out a fine rather than a suspension.
In a Rangers group assertion, they singled out Wilson as a “harmful and reckless” participant with a historical past of comparable acts on the ice, and argued that Wilson’s standing as a repeat offender warranted a suspension.
The Washington Capitals declined to answer the Rangers assertion and mentioned they may let the NHL deal with the state of affairs.
The NHL has not responded to CNN’s request for remark.
