Arber Xhekaj's first fight of the season highlights growth and aggression in Canadiens' defense (Source: Imagn)
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj had a big moment on Saturday night when he fought Columbus Blue Jackets’ forward Mathieu Olivier. The fight took place in the second period, with both players throwing punches. It ended in a stalemate, but the crowd appreciated the intensity.
This was Xhekaj's first regular-season fight of the season. Xhekaj talked about his history with Olivier (2:38):
"I fought him a couple years ago, but I fell pretty early. He’s one of the toughest guys in the league, and not many guys go these days. When you get a chance, you gotta get one out.”
Xhekaj hadn’t fought in the regular season before but was eager to show that he had that side to his game. This season, he has also worked on his defensive play, becoming more disciplined.
