John Scott reveals the real reason he “fought” Phil Kessel.

I have to admit I remember this moment just like it was yesterday and when I heard that former National Hockey League All Star John Scott had spilled the beans about the incident I just had to check it out. I am of course referring to the now infamous "fight" between the aforementioned Scott and Arizona Coyotes star forward Phil Kessel, although at the time of this incident he was still a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I'm sure many of you remember this one as well as it was a rare preseason scrap and it was one that led to a line brawl that saw just about every player on the ice getting involved including the goaltenders on both sides. Scott had been put out onto the ice to send a message after the Sabres took exception to some actions from the Leafs and Scott confirmed as much during his recent interview, laying the blame for the whole thing at the feet of former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle.

"It was Randy Carlyle to be honest with you, he was the reason behind the whole thing," said Scott. "The shift before someone on Toronto Jamie Devane beat up one of my guys Corey Tropp so I was feeling I wanted a little retribution. So there was a lot of tough guys dressed and I went up to Toronto's bench and I said 'throw someone out and we're gonna fight and I'm gonna beat this guy's doors off' cause I was upset."

As you will see in the video below you can in fact see Scott skate over to the Maple Leafs bench and began yelling loudly at the players on that benchm, actions that would appear to backup his version of events here. Scott goes on to say that he and Carlyle were yelling back and forth going through the names of players he could put on to potentially face him.

"I'm just staring at the bench and I'm hoping somebody jumps over so I can take care of business. I told my line 'I'm gonna jump somebody I don't know who it is' and he throws out Kessel and... 'I just say I'm doing it.'

Scott blames Carlyle for not putting out a player to answer the bell for the Leafs transgressions, a sentiment that many old school hockey types would likely agree with.

"It all lands on Carlyle. If he would have thrown out a tough guy it would have been done and there would have been nothing more to it. He threw out Kessel and I called his bluff and away we went."