Nico Hischier asks Matthew Knies to fight… and immediately regrets it

Tuesday night’s Maple Leafs–Devils matchup had fans rubbing their eyes in disbelief when an unexpected fight stole the spotlight. Nico Hischier, trying to fire up his New Jersey teammates, challenged Toronto’s Matthew Knies to a fight at center ice. What happened next stunned everyone.

Knies, the Leafs’ rising star, didn’t just accept the challenge: he dropped Hischier decisively with a quick left to the head, sending a message that the Leafs weren’t messing around.

Check out the heated fight below:

The sequence seemed to ignite Toronto immediately. Moments after the fight, the Leafs struck offensively, scoring to take a commanding 3-0 lead.

Knies didn’t stop there. Later in the game, he capped the evening with an empty-net goal, sealing a 4-0 victory over the Devils. The performance highlighted his two-way impact and his ability to contribute both physically and offensively.

What a stallion.

For a young player like Knies, moments like this can define a season. Dropping an established NHL forward like Hischier and then scoring in the same game? That’s a highlight reel night. Fans on social media were quick to share clips of the fight, celebrating Knies’ fearless approach and Toronto’s dominant performance.

Whether it was the spark the Leafs needed or simply a flash of Knies’ growing confidence, one thing is clear: he’s making his mark in Toronto, and the Devils learned that the hard way.