Bennett and Hodgson Among Fighters as Panthers-Senators Gets Heated
Ottawa's game against Florida featured multiple fights, including Hayden Hodgson against Boko Imama at center ice and Sam Bennett against Ridly Greig in the third period. The teams combined for 28 penalties, and scrums continued around the Tkachuk brothers. Ottawa won 5-1 in Brady Tkachuk's return.
The game included an early center-ice fight between Hayden Hodgson and Boko Imama. In the third, Ridly Greig's hit knocked Dmitry Kulikov down, and Sam Bennett fought Greig in response. Florida was assessed 15 penalties and Ottawa 13, with repeated scrums centered on the Tkachuk brothers.
A scuffle near Ottawa's bench involving the Tkachuk brothers and several of Brady's former teammates led to roughing minors and jerseys being thrown onto the ice. Shane Pinto said the crowd's intensity resembled a postseason setting and ranked the game among Ottawa's most enjoyable recent outings; Claude Giroux, after 1,355 NHL appearances, said he could not recall comparable hostility toward a former teammate. Ottawa won 5-1.
The brawling may affect fans, especially families and younger viewers, by shaping perceptions of hockey as entertainment built around violence; it could also influence how leagues and teams weigh player safety and discipline. Players and officials may face heightened scrutiny, while broadcasters and social media users could amplify the fights, extending the story beyond the final score.