Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs are at Madison Square Garden facing off against the New York Rangers, and the intensity of the match increased significantly in the latter stages.
As the clock showed less than 10 minutes remaining in the third period, Jake McCabe, a defenseman for the Leafs, positions himself against Ryan Lindgren of the Rangers, executing a colossal shoulder check that launches Lindgren into the air. Have a look at the action.
Mika Zibanejad defends his teammate, earning an additional two-minute penalty as a consequence. It's admirable to witness a player supporting their team, although there appeared to be no necessity for it on this occasion.
Since his acquisition at the trade deadline last year, McCabe has proven to be a dependable addition to the Maple Leafs, displaying a classic hit with precision, targeting the shoulder to the chest.