Old school hockey? Leafs-Lightning playoff game features three fights

Certainly, nobody at Scotiabank Arena tonight was questioning the toughness of the Toronto Maple Leafs in this one.

After Toronto fell 7-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the opening round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs on home ice, it was only natural to wonder how they’d respond to such a beating.

And yes, they won Game 2 by 7-2 score in a dominant fashion, but they also used a bit of old school hockey to get the job done.

Just 3:02 into the opening period with the Leafs up 1-0, Mark Giordano faced off against former Leaf Zach Bogosian, setting the tone for a physical battle for the rest of the night.

Gio and Bogo drop the mitts and we're off to a wild start in Toronto! 😤 pic.twitter.com/A80A8qeLVk

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 20, 2023

“It was a great response. Couldn’t have asked for a better start, I thought our overall focus and execution was really sharp tonight,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe added postgame.

Toronto was suiting up on Thursday without top-line forward Michael Bunting, serving a three-game penalty for a high hit, while Bunting’s victim in Erik Cernak as well as fellow Tampa defenceman Victor Hedman were out on the evening.

But that didn’t stop the remaining players from getting involved in a few, er, extracurriculars.

About nine minutes into the third period, Luke Schenn and Tanner Jeannot got involved in a tussle by the Toronto net.

Schenn and Jeannot throw down 🥊 pic.twitter.com/gmc8YhZqIi

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 21, 2023

Lastly, it was Justin Holl and perennial Toronto nemesis Corey Perry getting tangled up by Toronto’s net once again.

Holl and Perry put up their dukes as Perry enters full villain mode in Toronto👿 pic.twitter.com/E5nznzMFyf

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 21, 2023

All in all, the Lightning picked up 49 minutes in penalties to 23 for Toronto. After giving up four power play goals to Tampa in the opening game of the series, Toronto killed off three Lightning man-advantages while scoring a pair of their own extra-strength markers in the win.

Game 3 goes Saturday night in Tampa at 4 pm PT/ 5 pm MT/ 7 pm ET.

One can only assume there might be a bit of physical play in that one, too.