Devil's Paul Cotter Credits Teammate For Providing Spark In 4-1 Victory Over Panthers
New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon accepted the challenge of fighting Jonah Gadjovich because he felt his team needed a spark.
After 911 NHL games, New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon understands what will spark his team, whether it is a big hit, block, or fight.
With the Florida Panthers gaining momentum and tying the game at 1-1, Jonah Gadjovich asked Dillon to drop the gloves. What followed was one of the best heavyweight fights fans will see this season.
In a post-game interview with ESPN, Dillon shared that he couldn't resist when Gadjovich asked, and it was all about "getting a spark for the fellas."
"We didn't really have a whole lot going there the first 10 (minutes of that period)," he said. "He is a physical player. We were in front of the net for a little battle there. You know, I just couldn't say no."
The 25-second fight did spark the Devils. After the scrap, Timo Meier, Paul Cotter, and Ondrej Palat scored to earn New Jersey a 4-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup Champions.
"You see (Dillon) step up there in a crucial part in the game, and it gets us going," Cotter said. "[...] What started (everything) was Dillon's fight. Obviously, we have a lot of respect for him for doing that."
Dillon has three fighting majors this season, the most among all Devils. Additionally, he leads the team with 36 blocked shots, and his 47 hits are third-most behind Cotter and Curtis Lazar.
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