Tonight’s Canadien-Maple Leafs game looked promising (especially for Montreal), but it turned into a nightmare right from the start.
David Reinbacher first went down fighting, and moments later Cedric Paré injured Patrik Laine. Both men will not return to action tonight.
Forward Patrik Laine and defenseman David Reinbacher will not return to action tonight.
Forward Patrik Laine and defenseman David Reinbacher will not return to tonight’s game.
– Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 28, 2024
In the case of Paré, a Québécois, he made no friends in his native province by injuring a player who excited so many Canadiens players.
On the ice, Arber Xhekaj was there to teach him a lesson…
Arber Xhekaj was beyond angry after the Patrik Laine knee-on-knee hit pic.twitter.com/H9x3FHrhHC
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 29, 2024
And the next period, the guys’ frustration continued to show. Juraj Slafkovsky even went after Marshall Rifai after a stoppage in play.
Slafkovsky gets into a fight. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/H7QWh4CfKh
– Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) September 29, 2024
Rifai may have fallen to Slaf late in the fight, but it was the Montreal 20 who had the upper hand in terms of punches landed. The Toronto defender’s face was bloodied on the way to the dungeon.
I understand it’s a frustrating night for the Habs players, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for Slaf to get into a fight. He’s one of the best players in the line-up and Martin St-Louis needs his big Slovak player in the line-up.
I love that he wants to defend his teammates, that said, but he went back to the locker room, which isn’t necessarily good news. Especially as there were only five minutes left in the period during the fight…
In any case, as far as Paré is concerned, even on social media, fans are angry and you can feel it.
The most hated man in Montreal tonight.
Cedric Paré might not want to show his face in Québéc for a while… pic.twitter.com/b4T7OZNKaS
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 28, 2024
Worst of all, the Québécois, who nobody knows, probably won’t even make the team at the start of the season.
He’ll have to watch his back next time he walks the streets of Montreal…
Cedric Paré next time he tries to come in Quebec #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/66CEVXbu3O
– BobrovW (@hugo_987654321) September 28, 2024