NHL: Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins - Source: Imagn — Fans react as Ryan Leonard's "hit and run" gains Alex Ovechkin's approval - Source: Imagn

"Punk kid is going to learn": Fans react as Ryan Leonard's "hit and run" gains Alex Ovechkin's approval

Modified Apr 02, 2025 11:00 GMT

NHL fans on social media reacted after Washington Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard delivered a solid open-ice hit on Boston Bruins forward Jefferey Viel during Tuesday's game.

Leonard made the standout play of the night, leveling Viel at neutral ice while backchecking, earning praise from his teammates like Alex Ovechkin and the coaching staff. In his debut, Leonard logged 14:13 minutes of ice time, ending the game with a plus-one rating and three recorded hits.

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The crushing hit on Viel became the highlight of his first game, sparking a wave of reactions from fans on X/Twitter:

"Bro did a hit and run," one fan wrote.

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"Punk kid is going to learn," another fan chimed in.

Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"Ryan Leonard making an impact in his NHL debut! Ovi's approval says it all," another fan said.

"Lays an open ice hit and gets dapped up by Ovi immediately after. Kid is on top of the world," one fan added.

"Ryan Leonard's bringing the heat in his debut! Ovechkin would be proud!" another fan wrote.

"That's exactly what Ovi needed to see from this kid," one fan said.

Ryan Leonard was drafted No. 8 overall by the Capitals in the 2023 NHL draft. He joined them after signing an entry-level contract with the club shortly after top-seed Boston College Eagles were eliminated by Denver University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Ryan Leonard shines in debut as Capitals down Bruins

On Tuesday, the Washington Capitals defeated the Boston Bruins 4-3 at TD Garden. The Caps are a point behind the Winnipeg Jets with 105 points for the Presidents' Trophy.

Nic Dowd put the Capitals up 1-0 after scoring a shorthanded goal at 13:32 into the first period. Ovechkin increased his career tally to 891 goals after making it 2-0 for the visitors on the power play two minutes later. "Ovi" is now just four goals shy from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record.

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Goals from Vinni Lettieri and David Pastrnak tied it for the Bruins in the second period. Dylan Strome restored the Caps' lead to 3-2 at 10:37 into the final period before Tom Wilson's goal made it 4-2 at 14:46. Pastrnak then scored his second at 15:13 for the final scoreline of 4-3.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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