The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing criticism from fans after a major brawl between the Buffalo Sabres and the Vegas Golden Knights. Fans are pointing out that the Sabres players stood up for each other more decisively than the Maple Leafs did when Auston Matthews was injured by Radko Gudas.
Last Thursday, the Maple Leafs lost their captain, Auston Matthews, for the remainder of the season. He suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion in his left leg after a dangerous hit from Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas.
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Radko Gudas hit on Auston Matthews
Gudas received a five-game suspension for the hit. After the game, Leafs coach Craig Berube told reporters he would have liked to see his players respond more aggressively on Matthews’ behalf. “Obviously, we should have had four guys in there doing something about it. It didn’t happen right away, but I think they responded in the third. It was a good response there. But we all would have liked everybody to get in there immediately,” he said.
Fans mock Toronto Maple Leafs
On Tuesday, Vegas Golden Knights’ Brayden McNabb delivered a late hit on Buffalo Sabres’ Zach Benson. Sabres players Noah Ostlund and Tage Thompson immediately confronted McNabb, sparking a full-on brawl.
Fans online quickly highlighted the contrast between the Sabres’ response and the Maple Leafs’ inaction after Matthews’ injury.
“So the antithesis of Toronto?” one fan asked on X.
“Someone show this to the cowards Reilly, Nylander, and Carlo,” wrote another.
“There’s the Leafs way. And there’s the Sabres way right there,” added a third.
You can watch the hit and the ensuing brawl below.
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