Watch: "Russian Muhammad Ali" Vasily Podkolzin drops Jeremy Lauzon, who skates off bleeding

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Nov 01, 2024 06:24 GMT

In an intense moment during the third period of Thursday's matchup between the Oilers and Predators, Vasily Podkolzin faced off against Jeremy Lauzon in a fight. The altercation was brief but impactful, as Podkolzin quickly took down Lauzon, landing two powerful punches to his face.

Lauzon skated off the ice, bleeding, and went to the bench, clearly shaken from the encounter.

Watch the video here:

The showdown from Vasily Podkolzin also earned him the nickname "Russian Muhammad Ali" from a fan on social media:

"dawg why do we play mcdavid so much when we have russian muhammad ali."

Both players were hit with five-minute penalties for fighting after their altercation on the ice. Meanwhile, the matchup ended with the Edmonton Oilers securing a dominating 5-1 win over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Vasily Podkolzin delivers impressive performance in Oilers win

Vasily Podkolzin dropped the gloves for just the second time in his NHL career after being drafted 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2019 NHL draft.

In the Oilers' 5-1 victory over the Nashville Predators, the 23-year-old Russian registered one assist and blocked a shot during his 11:22 of ice time.

He assisted on Viktor Arvidsson's goal, which put the Oilers ahead 1-0 37 seconds into the first period. Leon Draisaitl also had a standout performance, accumulating three points on the night. Podkolzin was traded by the Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft.

Podkolzin has notched up two points through as many assists in 11 games this season. The Oilers will be gearing up for the "Battle of Alberta." against the Calgary Flames on Sunday. The puck drops at 9 p.m. ET.