BOSTON — Anyone who attended Tuesday’s Bruins-Capitals game at TD Garden witnessed one of the greatest offensive players of all time score a goal and saw two journeymen engage in a lengthy, intense fight.
Jeffrey Viel and Dylan McIlrath, both tough players who have spent much of their careers riding buses in the AHL, made the most of their moment in the spotlight.
Referee Wes McAuley and his crew allowed the two big men to exchange punches for nearly a minute.
The fight began just inside the Capitals’ zone and continued as the two crossed over the red line.
McIlrath, the Capitals’ 6-foot-5, 232-pound defenseman, used his size advantage early on to knock Viel’s helmet off. However, despite being at a disadvantage of three inches and 19 pounds, Viel fought back and eventually managed to strip McIlrath of his helmet as well.
While McIlrath landed several heavy shots, Viel connected with a few powerful punches towards the end. McIlrath briefly dropped to one knee twice, while Viel did so once. Both players quickly got back up.
The fight took place with just under a minute left in the second period.
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