Watch: Flyers’ Nick Deslauriers Takes Down Maple Leafs’ Ryan Reaves in Early Fight

Philadelphia Flyers winger Nick Deslauriers surprised everyone at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night when he engaged in a spirited fight with Toronto Maple Leafs winger Ryan Reaves. The game had started slowly, with neither team gaining momentum, but Deslauriers changed that with his bold move.

HEAVYWEIGHT TILT IN PHILLY 🥊 pic.twitter.com/GjLC59ZuaN

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Deslauriers leaped over the Flyers’ bench, while Reaves did the same for the Maple Leafs. After a brief hesitation, they shed their gloves and headed to center ice to settle the score.

Initially, Reaves seemed to have the upper hand, keeping Deslauriers on the defensive with his strong punches. However, Deslauriers showcased his resilience, strategically timing his strikes and landing a decisive blow with his left hand. He then skillfully maneuvered to grapple with his left while delivering powerful punches with his right, ultimately taking Reaves down and igniting the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center.

The timing of the fight added a poignant touch, as it occurred shortly after the retirement of former Flyers player Wayne Simmonds, a renowned enforcer himself.

This marked Deslauriers’s fourth fight in just a month, having previously squared off against opponents like Simon Benoit, Matt Rempe, and Kurtis MacDermid. Impressively, he has emerged victorious in most of these bouts. On the other hand, Reaves, who has faced injury setbacks earlier in the season, has been involved in fewer fights, including this recent clash with Rempe.

The intensity of the game was palpable from the start, with Owen Tippett scoring the Flyers’ first goal just 18 seconds into the game, setting the stage for Deslauriers’s dramatic showdown with Reaves.