Detroit – If you’re waiting for Anthony Mantha to stop fighting, it’s going to be a long wait.
So, don’t bother.
Mantha returned to practice, taking part in Monday’s morning skate, after recovering from ligament damage to his knuckle during a Dec. 2 fight with Colorado’s Patrik Nemeth.
Mantha has been out since the fight and isn’t expected to return to game action for another week.
Nemeth appeared to make contact with Dylan Larkin’s head on a borderline hit, and Mantha wasn’t going to let that happen without retribution.
“It happens,” Mantha said of his injury, the second time in his career Mantha has suffered a hand injury during a fight.