Maple Leafs’ Max Domi fights Ducks’ Radko Gudas three seconds into contest, ejected after 2nd bout

Domi wasn’t content with just fighting Gudas. During the second period, Domi engaged Ducks defenceman Pavel Mintyukov in a one-sided bout and was subsequently ejected from the game. Michael Pezzetta was also issued a game misconduct during the second frame, after trying to engage Gudas into another tilt.

During their last matchup, Gudas delivered an illegal hit on Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. Matthews suffered a season-ending Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion as a result of the hit. Gudas was issued a five-game suspension, a sanction that was roundly criticized as too lenient.

“They don’t want the game to get out of hand, and I don’t blame them,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said pre-game, when asked about what message he’s received from the NHL about Monday’s contest. “I don’t think it is good for anybody. You don’t want anything stupid happening with suspensions and things like that. That doesn’t solve anything. Just go out, play the game with a lot of emotion and energy, be physical, and be hard on their skilled players.”

Berube was irate with his team, following a lack of response to Gudas’ hit on Matthews during the March 12 game. Morgan Rielly took responsibility for the lack of response following the March 12 contest, but the message was clear from the outset entering Monday’s game.

Of course, the events of Monday’s game may be secondary to the larger organizational news. An hour before the game, the Maple Leafs announced that they had parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving. Treliving was hired in May 2023, but ultimately did not construct a roster that could sustainably contend for the Stanley Cup, following a second-round exit against the Florida Panthers last spring. As the Maple Leafs will miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade, Tuesday could be the first step towards major institutional change.