Arber Xhekaj tosses rookie around in a massive fight after dirty hit

Less than five minutes into the first period, Arber Xhekaj found himself on the receiving end of a hard hit from Dmitry Voronkov, who was making his NHL debut after being drafted in the fourth round in 2019.

Unhappy with the hit, Xhekaj wasted no time dropping his gloves as he got back on his feet. Voronkov quickly followed suit, and the two players engaged in a spirited bout. Xhekaj landed a few extra punches after Voronkov hit the ice.

The aftermath saw Xhekaj penalized with a minor for roughing, while Voronkov received an additional two minutes for boarding. Both players also received the standard five-minute fighting penalty.

The early altercation injected energy into the game, setting the tone for what promised to be an intense matchup.

Source: Bladeofsteel