Update: Montreal Canadiens right winger Josh Anderson and Washington Capitals right winger Tom Wilson were each fined $5,000 on Saturday for unsportsmanlike conduct related to their wrestling on the bench Friday night. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
Mayhem broke loose after the second period in Game 3 between the Capitals and Canadiens.
As the Canadiens and Capitals headed for the dressing rooms after the horn, subtle bumps and shoves between both teams escalated into a fight on an empty bench.
Capitals right winger Tom Wilson found Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj in the large crowd before Josh Anderson pulled him away from the group. Wilson and Anderson eventually fell into the Capitals' bench and continued to throw punches at each other while a linesman tried to break them up.
Washington coach Spencer Carbery needed to step over the bench to get out of the way.
Both players received two-minute minors for roughing and 10-minute misconducts. Xhekaj and Lars Eller also got two minutes for roughing.
It was only a matter of time before the Habs got their licks on Wilson. Before the game, during warmups, Xhekaj and Wilson were talking at the red line. This is Xhekaj’s first career playoff game.
In between whistles, there have been plenty of scrums, shoves and bumps in efforts to throw each other off their games.
Montreal’s Cole Caufield scored a big goal with under nine seconds remaining in the period. Emotions were high for both teams and the fans at the Bell Centre in their first home playoff game in years.
No Matter How You Say 'Go Habs Go,' Canadiens Must 'Allez' Or Be 'Fini'
Regardless of what the language commission in Quebec orders buses in Montreal to use on their signs, the Montreal Canadiens must be better at home than they were on the road if they want to extend their first-round series against the Washington Capitals.
Montreal won 6-3 to only trail the series 2-1.
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