NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning - Source: Imagn — ake McCabe's fight with Garnet Hathaway forces Leafs D-man to exit game after slamming head onto ice. (Image Source: Imagn)

Watch: Jake McCabe's fight with Garnet Hathaway forces Leafs D-man to exit game after slamming head onto ice

Modified Jan 06, 2025 03:26 GMT

During the final seconds of the first period, Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe and Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway engaged in a fight behind the net.

A collision between Hathaway and Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby earlier in the period sparked the altercation. McCabe, unhappy with Hathaway's actions, initiated the confrontation.

When Hathaway finally responded by dropping his gloves, Jake McCabe found himself on the losing end of the exchange.

Watch the video here:

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The fight turned concerning when McCabe fell, hitting his head hard on the ice. Despite his efforts to get back up, he struggled and ultimately skated off the ice with assistance.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs later confirmed that McCabe would not return to the game due to the upper-body injury sustained during the altercation. Meanwhile, the matchup ended with the Leafs beating the Flyers 3-2 in overtime.

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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