The intensity was through the roof at Wednesday’s Canadiens practice, with tempers flaring between teammates in an unexpected showdown.
The most dramatic moment came when Arber Xhekaj and Mike Matheson got into it during a routine drill.
It started when Xhekaj – nicknamed "The Sheriff" by fans for his physical style – hooked Matheson and brought him down to the ice.
Matheson wasn’t having any of it. He jumped right back up, grabbed Xhekaj with both hands, and slammed him onto the ice in retaliation.
The whole thing happened so fast you might’ve missed it if you blinked, but it showed just how competitive things are getting as the team pushes through mid-season practices.
These practice scraps aren’t unusual in hockey – they often show how much players care about improving and competing, even against their own teammates.
