The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs combined for four 10-minute game misconducts on November 22 after Florian Xhekaj fought Dakota Mermis in his NHL debut.
Toronto Maple Leafs versus Montreal Canadiens
The season opened on October 8 with a 5-2 Toronto victory over Montreal. The result set a physical tone for the November 22 rematch at the Bell Centre. Florian Xhekaj made his NHL debut alongside brother Arber, both known for imposing physicality. Florian scored his first NHL goal and immediately fought Dakota Mermis late in the third period. Arber Xhekaj then tangled with Dakota Joshua behind the net, prompting Jayden Struble and Steven Lorentz to join, resulting in four game misconducts. The sequence contrasted the Leafs’ early-season control with Montreal’s willingness to escalate physical play.
Florida Panthers versus Tampa Bay Lightning
The two Florida teams combined for 172 penalty minutes across two December meetings alone. Their December 27 game featured 27 roughing penalties, a Curtis Douglas versus Luke Kunin fight, and five 10-minute misconducts. The February 5 finale produced 167 penalty minutes, five fighting majors, and four game misconducts. Tampa’s repeated line brawls contrasted sharply with Florida’s disciplined regular-season approach elsewhere, highlighting how intrastate rivalry games override standard tactics.
Edmonton Oilers versus Calgary Flames
The Battle of Alberta saw Calgary win the season series three games to one. On October 8, Edmonton built a 3-0 lead that included Leon Draisaitl’s 400th career NHL goal. Calgary answered with three straight goals, Matvei Gridin scoring his first NHL marker, then prevailed in an eight-round shootout. The comeback reversed the Oilers’ early dominance and gave the Flames provincial bragging rights for the season.
The three rivalries produced 339 combined penalty minutes in their most heated contests and featured a 400th career goal alongside multiple debut milestones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.