Canadian NHL roundup: Max Domi makes conspicuous Habs' debut in pre-season loss
Montreal winger slapped with match penalty for sucker punch on Panthers' Ekblad
Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo said Max Domi's sucker punch on Aaron Ekblad was "gutless."
Domi was given a match penalty for punching Ekblad right in the nose in the third period of Wednesday's pre-season game between Montreal and Florida, which the Panthers won 5-2.
Ekblad left the game, at the league's request, and did not return. He went through tests after the game and has since cleared concussion protocol.
"I'm sure the league will look at it and we definitely won't forget about it," said Luongo, who played the first two periods. "You don't do that. You respect your opponents and if your opponent doesn't want to engage in a fight, there's no reason to drop your glove and punch him square in the face.
"Bit of a gutless play. You don't do those types of things."
With the Canadiens losing 2-1 at the start of the third period, Domi began tugging on Ekblad's shirt, asking him to fight. With the Panthers star showing no interest to drop the gloves, Domi punched him in the face twice, but still Ekblad didn't respond. That's when Domi dropped his right glove and sucker punched him right on the nose.
Watch Domi sucker punch Ekblad:
The bloodied Ekblad dropped to the ice. Domi was given a minor, major and match penalty on the play.
"NHL Player Safety will review it. It's in their hands now," said Panthers coach Bob Boughner. "We had a delayed penalty and Ekblad was just trying to stay out of it. I didn't expect that he was going to drop his glove and sucker punch him."
Added Mike Hoffman: "I guess they were trying to showcase something over there. It's pre-season, so maybe guys are trying to make an impression. But maybe do it by playing hockey."
The Canadiens saw the altercation a little differently.
"The two were arguing with one another," said Jonathan Drouin. "I saw a pretty big slash from Ekblad on Max, and Max just took matters into his own hands. It's also Ekblad's fault for not protecting himself."
Meanwhile coach Claude Julien said "these are things that happen in a hockey game."
Later, the Department of Player Safety announced that Domi would have a hearing Thursday.
Montreal’s Max Domi will have a hearing tomorrow for roughing/ punch to an unsuspecting opponent against Florida’s Aaron Ekblad.
—@NHLPlayerSafetyWhen play resumed, Jared McCann made it 3-1 at 10:57 of the third after driving hard to the net and cashing in his own rebound. The 2014 first-round draft pick added his second exactly two minutes later.
Nikita Scherbak got one back for Montreal at 15:58 before Nick Bjugstad scored in the empty net with 52 seconds left in the game.
Montreal's lineup featured lots of prospects
The Panthers dressed several of their NHL regulars, including Aleksander Barkov, Hoffman, Jonathan Huberdeau, Ekblad and Keith Yandle.
Montreal's lineup featured a large number of prospects.
Evgenii Dadonov scored his first of the game at 4:32 of the first period on an odd-man rush for the Panthers. The 29-year-old Russian added his second at 11:07, on the power play.
Matthew Peca cut the deficit in half with a power-play marker of his own at 13:19. The centreman, making his first pre-season appearance as a Canadien, was lucky to have his shot bounce off two Florida players' skates and in past Luongo.
Also making his Habs pre-season debut, newly added centre Nick Suzuki got an assist on Peca's goal.
Carey Price played the first half of the game, stopping 20 of 22 shots. Antti Niemi made 16 saves on 18 shots in relief.
Has the NHL torch been passed?
Leafs handle Sens again
Tyler Ennis scored twice as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Wednesday to sweep their two-game pre-season series.
The two teams played Tuesday night in Lucan, Ont., as part of Kraft Hockeyville Canada with Toronto taking a 4-1 victory.
Auston Matthews, and Jeremy Bracco scored for the Leafs on Wednesday. Frederik Andersen played two periods, stopping all 19 shots he faced. Calvin Pickard played the third period, allowing one goal on six shots.
Watch Ennis power Leafs to victory:
Filip Chlapik had a power-play goal for the Senators.
Goalie Craig Anderson played the first half of the game for Ottawa and allowed one goal on 18 shots before being replaced by Mike McKenna, who gave up two goals on nine shots.
Pre-season games rarely draw big crowds, but it was clear the majority of fans on hand were there to see the Leafs as blue jerseys dominated the crowd.
Flames' split-squad down Canucks
Spencer Foo scored the eventual winner as a young Calgary Flames squad earned a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.
Matthew Phillips, Andrew Mangiapane and Jusso Valimaki also scored for the Flames.
Winger Brendan Leipsic put up the Canucks' only goal.
Watch Flames light up Canucks for 1st pre-season win:
Calgary's David Rittich stopped all 26 of Vancouver's shots in the first two periods. He was relieved by Tyler Parsons in the third, who stopped 12-of-13 shots.
Vancouver netminder Thatcher Demko held off 18 of the Flames' 21 shots in the first two frames before he was replaced by Michael DiPietro.
DiPietro turned away all 11 of Calgary's shots.
Bruins sweep rest of Flames in China
In Beijing, Jake DeBrusk scored twice, Tuukka Rask made 22 saves and Boston beat Calgary to sweep the two-game O.R.G. NHL China Games.
Watch the Bruins win the China series:
DeBrusk broke a tie 5:27 into the third period, and Kevan Miller added an empty-netter. The Bruins won the opener 4-3 in a shootout Saturday night in Shenzhen.
Sean Monahan scored for Calgary, and Mike Smith stopped 16 shots.