Even though the Montreal Canadiens were not in action on Friday night, prospect Florian Xhekaj still managed to make some noise.
Xhekaj Sticks Up For AHL Teammates
Xhekaj and the Laval Rocket were facing the Toronto Marlies, when former Canadiens forward Michael Pezzetta opted to make one of his classic boneheaded hits, injuring defenceman Marc Del Gaizo with a blind-side cheap-shot while the Marlies trailed 4-1.
Del Gaizo was forced to leave the game, and did not return.
That’s when Xhekaj, who happened to be on the ice at the time of the ugly hit, decided to take Pezzetta to task, landing a few heavy blows in a feisty battle between the two fighters.
Things then escalated as Pezzetta skated by the bench, with several Rocket players making their way to the ice, as the whistle had blown to signal the end of the second period.
#Rocket Florian Xhekaj drops the gloves against #Marlies Michael Pezzetta, after the former Hab lays a very questionable hit on Marc Del Gaizo.
— Chris G (@ChrisHabs360) December 13, 2025
A scrum involving multiple players began at the conclusion of the fight. #GoRocket #AHL #Hockey #GoHabsGo @RocketSports pic.twitter.com/vzoHoG53mK
In the grand scheme of things, it could have gone a lot worse for all involved, especially since there were so many players on the ice. Xhekaj would go on to engage with Rhett Parsons, or, rather, come to the rescue of Alex Belzile, who is clearly not a fighter, and was jumped by the Marlies forward.
Tyler Thorpe also dropped Cedric Pare, making it as close as it can be to a classic hockey donnybrook.
Say what you will about discipline, and the violence involved, but it’s always encouraging to see a young player stick up for his teammate, especially after an unnecessary cheap shot.
As for Pezzetta, it’s yet more evidence that he struggles to keep focus on a nightly basis. If he avoided some of the terrible decisions he inevitably makes, he could be a very useful player, as he loves to hit, and he tends to provide energy to the rest of the lineup on most nights.
Unfortunately, his decision on Friday only led to an injury for an innocent player, and a free five-piece meal from Xhekaj, who was happy to serve the former Canadiens player.
