It’s still only preseason, but the Battle of Florida is always heated. Last night, the Florida Panthers’ AJ Greer sucker-punched Brandon Hagel—a deed now being called “gutless.”
Last night’s preseason game between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning featured a total of 186 penalty minutes, signaling that both teams are more than ready for the regular season to begin.
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AJ Greer punch on Brandon Hagel
The teams will, however, meet one more time before the regular season—on Saturday. Emotions are expected to be high after last night’s clash, especially following Greer’s punch on Hagel. The incident took place in the first period, when Greer came at Hagel from behind, sparking a massive brawl.
Afterward, former Lightning player–turned–analyst Pat Maroon had this to say about the punch:
“What Greer did to Hagel was gutless, and I think this is going farther now. I think come Saturday, we might see some big boys coming in,” Maroon said on the broadcast.
Fans outraged
Fans are also upset with the play:
”Greer is on the ice for one reason. He’s a mediocre player but he makes a difference by sucker punching better players when they’re not looking,” one fan wrote.
“Why is that not a game misconduct?” another asked.
“Should be a f*cking suspension. Doesn’t even drop the gloves—just starts straight-up punching,” a third said.
You can watch the clip below.
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