Polarizing NHL star Brad Marchand sparked a brawl on Saturday night before ripping the straps off his rival’s helmet.
The violence began brewing when Panthers player Marchand was checked away from the puck by the Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin.
Dahlin again tried to bump Marchand moments later – but that time wound up on the floor as Marchand got on top of him and began throwing punches.
From there, several other players got involved in the scrum before Marchand and Dahlin were ultimately separated.
Marchand, though, wasn’t quite done.
After skating into the penalty box with Dahlin’s helmet, he began ripping the straps off of it in a surreal demonstration.
The Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin tried to check Brad Marchand before Marchand ended up on top of him
Marchand then began punching his rival before other players got involved
Marchand skated off the ice with Dahlin’s helmet before he began ripping it up
He then tossed the helmet back onto the ice for Dahlin to retrieve.
Marchand, who has earned a reputation for ill-discipline on the ice over his 17-year career, was slapped with penalties for interference and roughing.
Dahlin was not penalized, though his teammate Tage Thompson was for roughing after jumping on Marchand during the melee.
Marchand, 37, is a controversial figure in the NHL, where he’s frequently landed himself in the penalty box for punching, elbowing and (one time) licking opponents.
However, the former Bruins star had a postseason to remember last season as he helped lead the Panthers to a Stanley Cup win.
Marchand ripped the straps off of Dahlin’s helmet as he sat in the penalty box
Panthers star Marchand is known as one of the more polarizing figures in the NHL
Marchand chipped in with an essential 20 points in 23 games as the Panthers went on to beat the Oilers to repeat as champions.
He went on to sign a six-year, $31.5million deal with the team in this offseason.
However, Dahlin and the Sabres had the last laugh on Saturday as they defeated the Panthers 3-0.
The Panthers are now 3-4-0 on the season.
