The game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning was a heated one. Now, fans are calling for a suspension for Brandon Hagel after he hit Rasmus Dahlin from behind.
Sunday’s game between the Sabres and the Lightning has been called one of the best games of the season due to everything that happened. The Lightning first came back from being down 3–0 and 4–1 to take a 7–5 lead.
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Seventh straight win
But the Sabres responded by scoring three unanswered goals in the final ten minutes of the game, winning 8–7. The win marked the Sabres’ seventh straight victory, and they now sit in first place in the hard-fought Atlantic Division, two points ahead of the Lightning. The game was very physical. In total, it featured 102 penalty minutes, with scrums breaking out after almost every whistle.
“This game was a huge step for us as a team. Every guy in this room was a part of it and stepped up when we had to. I’m so proud of the guys, and this is just going to make us even better. We’re brothers in here. You could really see that, too,” Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin told NHL.com after the game.
Want to see Brandon Hagel suspended
Dahlin, who recorded one goal and two assists, was involved in several scrums, including one with Brandon Hagel early in the second period. Dahlin cross-checked Hagel in the Sabres’ defensive zone. Hagel then went after Dahlin, hitting him in the back of the head, which resulted in a double minor penalty.
Fans, however, want to see Hagel face further punishment, with many calling the play a cheap shot.
“Scumbag move of the year nominee: Brandon Hagel,” one fan wrote on X.
“He should get a suspension for that one,” another fan said.
“Can somebody tell me how he wasn’t kicked out of the game? What a joke from NHL officials,” a third wrote.
“A punch to the back of the head when the guy is looking away is a coward move,” a fourth fan claimed.
You can watch the incident below.
The Sabres and the Lightning will meet again on April 7.
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