Maple Leafs-Lightning Game Out of Control [Watch]

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The Monday night tilt between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning got out of control in the third period.

The Toronto Maple Leafs-Tampa Bay Lightning tilt on Monday night featured a fair dose of mayhem. At about the three-minute mark of the third period, Leafs defenseman Dakota Mermis was on the wrong end of a knee-on-knee collision.

The retaliation on the Maple Leafs’ players on the ice was immediate. The scrum at center ice ended up with Max Crozier and Dakota Joshua dropping the gloves.

Here’s a look at the wild action:

Joshua and Crozier find each other for a fight after a scrum breaks out following a knee-on-knee hit on Mermis 🥊

The fisticuffs ended relatively quickly, as both combatants got their fair share of haymakers in. However, it appeared that Crozier walked away with the decision in the bout.

But the madness didn’t stop there. The game stood still as the officials looked over the hit by Gage Goncalves on Mermis. The officials stunned the crowd when they announced that Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann had gotten a match penalty for high-sticking.

The replay showed that McMann had chopped Goncalves on the helmet with his stick. The tap ignited the brawl that culminated in the Joshua-Crozier tilt.

All told, McMan and Goncalvez got the heave-ho. As for Joshua and Crozier, each pugilist got a five-minute major for fighting. No other penalties were assessed. So, none of the teams got a power play opportunity.

Maple Leafs Forward Likely to Face Supplemental Discipline

The match penalty on McMann will likely result in supplemental discipline by the league. The Department of Player Safety will most assuredly review the high stick, potentially issuing a fine or suspension.

If the league deems it appropriate, a suspension could be heading down the pipeline. McMann has no prior history of suspensions or disciplinary action. As such, the league may decide to slap him with a fine.

It’s worth noting that the NHL typically shows some clemency to first offenders. Unless penalties are overly egregious, first offenders generally get a fine or a one-game suspension at most. In this case, nonetheless, the league may want to throw the book at McMann given the dangerous nature of his antics.

Goncalves May Also Face Discipline from the League

As for Gage Goncalves, the Lightning player may also face supplemental discipline from the league. The officials on the ice called a major penalty so they could review the play. The review confirmed the major penalty and game misconduct.

As a result, the league will also look into the incident. Like the Maple Leafs forward, Goncalves may get hit with a fine. It’s unlikely a suspension would be forthcoming. Nevertheless, the league tends to make examples of players when it deems incidents could set a negative precedent.

While the rest of the game did not show any additional signs of mayhem, the bad blood between the Maple Leafs and Lightning may only get stronger. The two clubs will meet once again on February 25 for the second of their three regular-season meetings. The last game between the Leafs and Lightning will be on March 7.

So, fans may have to wait a few months before seeing these two teams renew hostilities. But there’s no doubt fireworks will be on the menu in their next meeting.

Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan

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