It was the most one-sided exchange of fists that sports fans had seen since… well, last night.
New York Rangers phenom Brennan Othmann chose to defend himself after taking a hard hit into the boards. The only problem is that the man he dropped the gloves with is one of the NHL’s fiercest fighters.
Just past the halfway point of the game between the Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers, Othmann was checked into the boards by Philly enforcer Nic Deslauriers.
Eager to defend his honor, the young winger with less than 30 NHL games under his belt hopped up and threw down his mitts.
Deslauriers, a 34-year-old with 692 career NHL games and 778 penalty minutes, was only too eager to oblige.
Instantly, the Québécois brawler began hammering the 22-year-old with overhand right after overhand right.
Flyers enforcer Nic Deslauriers brutally beat down on Rangers phenom Brennan Othmann
Deslauriers (44) left Othmann crumpled on the ice after several vicious right hands to the face
Ultimately, the Rangers came back from two goals down to beat their rivals in overtime
It didn’t take long for Othmann to crumple to the ground – with Deslauriers rag-dolling the young forward.
Deslauriers delivered another vicious right, pulled Othmann up by the collar of his sweater and shoved him back down to the ice as multiple officials had to intervene to stop the brutality.
Both men were sent to the penalty box to serve their five minutes for fighting before returning to the ice.
In a heated back-and-forth contest between the two Metro division rivals, the Rangers came back from a 3-1 deficit to force overtime on home ice at Madison Square Garden.
After five minutes of 3v3 action, the game went to a shootout. Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck scored while New York goalie Igor Shesterkin saved a shot from Trevor Zegras and watched Travis Konecny’s shot glance off the crossbar.
It’s the fifth home victory for the Rangers – who sit sixth in the division, but only two points out of second-place.
