Mark Giordano fires back at critics who believe Matthews should have fought Konency
There wasn't much to be outraged about following last night's 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, so naturally, some disgruntled Leafs fans and many Leafs detractors went after Auston Matthews for not dropping the gloves with Travis Konecny last night at the end of the game.
Mark Giordano was the man who stepped in to take out Konecny, who was in hot pursuit of Matthews at the end of the third period in a runaway game, but as much as it should have ended with his tackle on Konecny, Gio was also forced to drop the gloves with Kevin Hayes, which he gladly did in support of his teammate.
There are a dozen reasons why Matthews should not be fighting anyone, let alone a 2nd liner with a career high of 61 points. After all, a 60-goal scorer and reigning league MVP should stick to what he excels at - making the opposition pay on the scoresheet. Naturally, with all of the heat on Matthews for not stepping up, the guy who did drop the gloves had something to say about the matter.
-Mark Giordano on why he went after Konency and Hayes last night
Matthews appreciated the gesture from the 39-year-old Giordano, who is not shy about going to war for his skilled teammates. Matthews stated after the game that it "feels good to have that support". I think all of Leafs Nation enjoyed seeing someone other than Kyle Clifford or Wayne Simmonds step up for a teammate.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe commented that Giordano's acts are what make a team closer, applauding his guys for going to battle for their top guy. Veteran forward Zach Aston-Reese commented that watching it all unfold from the bench was like watching a pro wrestling match.
So there you have it, folks. The Leafs don't want Matthews fighting. That's why Gio stepped in and it doesn't take a genius to understand that Matthews is no good to anyone sidelined with a broken hand or wrist for 6-8 weeks.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 3 | 1394 ANSWERS Mark Giordano fires back at critics who believe Matthews should have fought Konency Do you think Matthews should have fought Konecny? | ||
| Yes | 205 | 14.7 % |
| No | 1189 | 85.3 % |
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