Tensions were bound to be running extremely high after Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson avoided suspension for his series of violent acts on Monday night against the New York Rangers and two days later, the barbarity begun immediately.
Line brawl to start tonight's game between the Rangers and Capitals at MSG pic.twitter.com/52pvvVZHwx
As soon as the puck dropped, both teams entered a full-on, no holds barred line brawl. Six players - Nic Down, Carl Hagelin and Garnet Hathaway for Washington, Kevin Rooney, Colin Blackwell and Phillip Di Giuseppe for New York — were all cited five minutes for fighting, one second into the game.