Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane has come to the defense of fighting in hockey after witnessing an intense opening 10 seconds between Team Canada and Team USA at the recent friendly match. The game ended with a score of 3-1, with Connor McDavid scoring the lone goal for Team Canada.
The opening faceoff featured several scuffles, including Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel exchanging punches, followed by Brady Tkachuk taking on Florida Panthers teammate Sam Bennett. A few seconds later, J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko clashed.
Head coach Jon Cooper described the opening as “mayhem,” reflecting the chaotic nature of the start to the game. Kane took to social media to express his opinion on the matter, stating that the fighting in the initial 10 minutes helped set a high tone for the game and discouraged undesirable behavior like kicking players out of the game.
Kane has previously spoken about the importance of fighting in hockey, citing its ability to police the game effectively and discourage incidents like suspending Joe Veleno five games for “kicking” during the 2023 IIHF World Championship.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/evander-kane-reacts-rare-9-142128701.html