Yes, Montreal Canadiens tough guy Arber Xhekaj can sometimes react in the heat and in the moment and take things the wrong way, but that wasn’t the case tonight. After Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier attempted a questionable hit on Kirby Dach in open ice, the tough defenseman asked him to dance.

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He then waited for Couturier to drop his gloves and dropped his own, and was about to get to work when Nick Seeler flew from the defensive spot and dove on Xhekaj to pull him onto the ice.

As a result, no punches were thrown. Granted, there was no fight there so I can understand there was no fighting major, but if Seeler hadn’t come to the rescue there would have been one and he would have been the third man. If the fact that there was no fight is the rationale for saying he cannot be called third man, what is the rationale for not treating him with unsportsmanlike behavior like Xhekaj did?

Related: Canadiens: About Xhekaj Signing…

It makes no sense and reminds me eerily of when Brendan Gallagher was making his debut and was famous for tackling the goalkeeper. Once Gallagher was able to breathe next to the goalkeeper, the goals were disallowed due to the goalkeeper’s interference. Neither situation is fair and should not happen.

I don’t shy away from expressing my disapproval when Sheriff’s affairs go in the wrong direction, but in that order? He did everything perfectly and didn’t deserve to take the only penalty in the game that put his team in the shootout… ridiculous.

Related: Canadiens vs. Senators: Xhekaj May Be Out of the Race

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