Playoff hockey is known for its intensity and physicality, with most of the action happening on the ice.
But in game three of the first round between the Capitals and Canadiens, the tension spilled into the benches.
As the second period ended, Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj and Washington’s Tom Wilson exchanged hostile words while surrounded by teammates.
They quickly got in each other’s faces. They locked up with one another and it looked to be escalating into a fight, until Montreal winger Josh Anderson interjected and turned it into an all-out brawl.
End of the second brawl in Montreal. Starts with Xhekaj and Wilson; ends with Anderson vs Wilson in the Washington bench#gohabsgo#ALLCAPS
— RGF (@rgfray1) April 26, 2025
Wilson and Anderson somehow pushed themselves into the Washington bench, where the scuffle went from bad to worse. All the while, players from both sides crowded around the area, helplessly looking on.
Even more helpless was the referee caught in the middle of the confrontation, trying to break up Wilson and Anderson while the two continued to go at it.
This isn’t the first time these two have gone at it. They had a boxing match on the ice earlier this season in October.
Wilson is known as one of the toughest enforcers in the league and Anderson handled his own against the Washington veteran in their early-season clash.
Josh Anderson won his fight vs Tom Wilson. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/a8ZjwQwgLV
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) November 1, 2024
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This time around the fight looked more evenly matched, but it still may have played in Anderson’s favor. The Canadiens, down 2-0 in the series, only led by one goal at the end of the period. Just like their forward, they came out swinging in the third period and took a commanding lead.
Montreal held on to win 6-3.
There’s no way to tell if the fight played a role in the final result, but it could have been the push Montreal needed to get back in the series.
