WATCH: Chaos befalls Leafs vs. Bolts game as Auston Matthews WRESTLES Steven Stamkos in Game 3, Twitter reacts

Among several brawls that engulfed Amalie Arena in Game 3, bouts between Auston Matthews and Steven Stamkos took the spotlight of the evening.

WATCH: Chaos befalls Leafs vs. Bolts game as Auston Matthews WRESTLES Steven Stamkos in Game 3, Twitter reacts

Auston Matthews and Steven Stamkos [Image Credit: Hamilton Spectator]

Chaos engulfed Game 3 of the Stanley Cup playoffs as brawls started all over the ice, the highlight of them being Auston Matthews vs. Steven Stamkos’ fistfight. According to reports, it was Matthews’ first NHL fight. The brawl started after Leafs’ Morgan Reilly sent Bolts’ Brayden Point flying onto the boards.

Although Stamkos’ target at first was Rielly, he shifted his focus to his next closest opponent, Leafs’ star Matthews. Following Point getting dumped into the end-boards, Nikita Kucherov came forward tackling Reilly immediately. All four players got penalties for roughing as Leafs topped the Lightning with a 4-3 record. 

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Matthews and Stamkos’ fight pulled both players on the ice as NHL officials intervened. The event happened so quickly that the Leafs’ star didn’t quite get the time to lose his gloves before the brawl exchange began. The fight undoubtedly hyped both teams, as Leafs held off the Bolts sending them into OT.

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Auston Matthews’ fistfight with Steven Stamkos draws social media attention

Auston Matthews and Steven Stamkos [Image Credit: Gino Hard]
Auston Matthews and Steven Stamkos [Image Credit: Gino Hard]

Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe praised Lightning for successfully dragging two of his stars into a fistfight. “First of all, I love how he stood up for himself. But the fight itself, I mean, it’s a classic example of a veteran championship team like Tampa Bay manipulating the officials and taking advantage of a situation.”

Auston Matthews commented, “The play happened so quick”. “Fair share of practice scuffles and stuff like that, but not really.” Leafs’ captain John Tavares stated that it was “interesting” to see Matthews engage in an NHL fight, “It is what it is, but Papi is gonna stand his ground”. 

“He’s a strong dude, and he’s gonna fight for every inch out there. So, great job by him and by the group by just staying composed through it at all and keep playing and fighting through it and finding a way to survive.”

Not only Keefe but also Lightning coach Jon Cooper applauded Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov for sticking up for Brayden Point, “It’s why we’ve been to the Final three times in row”. “They do more than just put the puck in the net, and it was unbelievable what those guys did.”

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Stamkos replied that it was an instinctual play where fights occur, moreover that being playoffs, “You see one of the best players in the world go headfirst into the boards. There’s gotta be a response.” 

“I’d expect the same thing from their group if Mitch Marner or Matthews was in that same position. It’s playoff hockey. That’s just the way it is”. “It’s nothing personal.”

In case you missed:

WATCH: Trent Frederic ‘couldn’t breathe’ as Ryan Lomberg CHOCKED forward during brawl in Game 2 at TD Garden

WATCH: Luke Schenn and Tanner Jeannot engage in slugfest as ‘Perry sucks’ chants fill up Scotiabank Arena in Game 2