Hockey Playoffs Return with a Bang as Massive Brawl Interrupts Game 1 of Leafs v Lightning

The NHL playoffs are back with a bang this year as a massive line brawl took place in Game 1 of the Toronto Maple Leafs v. Tampa Bay Lightning series Monday, leaving multiple players battered and one bloodied.

The major fight occurred in the third period of the contest after Leaf’s winger Wayne Simmonds clobbered Lightning defensemen Jan Rutta into the glass, setting off a crowd reaction of cheers in Toronto and a few angry faces from the opposing team.

The Lightning players immediately went after Simmonds for the cheap shot, being up 5-0, but as Simmonds turned the other cheek to the opposition, his teammate, Morgan Rielly, stepped up to the plate, taking on Rutta himself.

Our first playoff fight 🏒

Morgan Rielly lands a direct hit on Jan Rutta
pic.twitter.com/mVT2zPxAUx

— Pickswise (@Pickswise) May 3, 2022

The first fight of the postseason left the defensemen bloodied but the real story was what happened after SportsNet went to commercial break as a brawl got underway after Simmonds went at Victor Hedman of the Lightning, setting off the whole rink in pandemonium.

Take a look as the refs desperately try to stop the full-out war.

WELCOME TO THE PLAYOFFS pic.twitter.com/WlZsJFdsyy

— That’s Hockey Talk (@ThatsHockeyTalk) May 3, 2022

The officials eventually diffused the altercation and the game resumed with the Maple Leafs keeping home-rink advantage, blanking the Lightning 5-0.

Regardless of the outcome, it looks like Canadians were excited to be back in the arena for some playoff hockey.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!