In December, Dallas Stars center Cody Eakin laid a brutal hit to the head of New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. On Tuesday night, Eakin got a taste of the Rangers’ revenge.
Early in the second period of the game between the two teams at Madison Square Garden, Eakin and the Rangers’ Chris Kreider dropped their gloves and began fighting.
It appeared the scrum began after Kreider pushed Eakin against the boards and the Stars center decided to respond. Struggling to land blows on Eakin, Kreider eventually did something rarely seen in an NHL fight: he took off Eakin’s helmet and used it to strike him repeatedly.
The crowd became very excited, and from this angle, it seems clear why:
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“That’s not something you forget about,” said the Rangers winger about Eakin’s hit on Lundqvist. “I’m sure someone will have a conversation with him.”
Kreider himself, however, has also gained a reputation for crashing into goalies, the way he did Tuesday with the Stars’ Antti Niemi:
The Stars (19-19-8) eventually won the game 7-6. They will next visit the Islanders on Thursday night, when the Rangers (28-16-1) visit Toronto.
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 17: Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers fights with Cody Eakin #20 of the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden on January 17, 2017 in New York City. The Stars defeated the Rangers 7-6. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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