Usually, when you think about Auston Matthews and Steven Stamkos, you think of the two forwards scoring electric goals. During the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-3 overtime win on Saturday night over the Tampa Bay Lightning, the pair made headlines for a different reason.
They got into a fight that set off an all-out brawl in the early parts of the third period. For two players of this kind of offensive talent, it was a little jarring to see. Normally, a fight is started by a fourth-line “gritty” player trying to spark their team to a rally.
Not two of the best players on the ice, period.
Just two 60-goal scorers fighting in the #StanleyCup Playoffs.
Yeah you read that right. pic.twitter.com/5gcQS2qzUC
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 23, 2023
Beyond how shocking it is to see Matthews and Stamkos fighting, their little battle made NHL history. They are the first two players in NHL history to each have a 60-goal season on their resume and duke it out.
Steven Stamkos & Auston Matthews
First fight in NHL history between players who have had a 60-goal season
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 23, 2023
Per ESPN, Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe had a different opinion of the entire sequence.
“The fight, itself, that’s a classic example of a veteran championship team like Tampa Bay manipulating the officials and taking advantage of a situation, right.”
If Keefe was upset about the brawl, at least he and Matthews took home the most important result: A win and a 2-1 series lead.
