Boston Bruins forward Max Jones makes an outrageous mistake and two-hand slashes linesman
The NHL's opening night brought an electric atmosphere as the Florida Panthers unveiled their Stanley Cup Championship banner. The celebration was short-lived, though, as they faced off against a familiar foe in the Boston Bruins-a team they eliminated in the second round of last year's playoffs in a heated series. That battle left lasting bad blood, especially after Sam Bennett's controversial hit that knocked Brad Marchand out of the series with a concussion.
The tension was palpable from the start, and the game quickly erupted into high-intensity action. Just over five minutes in, AJ Greer and Mark Kastelic dropped the gloves, setting the tone for a physical contest.
Things escalated when Bruins' Trent Frederic attempted to go after Matthew Tkachuk, sparking a scrum with Bennett rushing in to defend his teammate. The animosity between the teams clearly hasn't faded, and this game felt like an extension of last year's fierce rivalry.
Later in the game, there was an odd and unfortunate moment involving Boston's new addition, Max Jones. While trying to knock away Evan Rodrigues' stick, Jones accidentally slashed the referee, leading to a penalty.
Though clearly unintentional by Jones, it was still a boneheaded play-players always need to be mindful of their stick, especially around officials. It was a wild moment in a game packed with intensity and physicality, setting the tone for what should be another thrilling season.
As the game wore on, the physicality didn't let up, with both teams delivering big hits and battling hard in every zone. The crowd was fully engaged, feeding off the energy of the players. It's clear that the lingering animosity from last year's playoffs has added an extra layer of intensity to this matchup, and fans can expect these two teams to deliver more fireworks as the season progresses. This rivalry is shaping up to be one of the most exciting storylines to follow throughout the year.
| POLL | ||
Do you think this will result in a fine/suspension for Max Jones? | ||
| No, it was an accident | 41 | 30.8 % |
| Yes, suspension. | 70 | 52.6 % |
| Yes, fine. | 22 | 16.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
