Matthew Knies Stands Up For Chris Tanev After Questionable Hit From Casey Cizikas

Late in the first period of their contest against the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies didn't take too kindly to Casey Cizikas' physical play along the boards against Chris Tanev.

Tanev was coming in with speed before Cizikas turned his back towards the defenseman and drilled him into the boards. Tanev was in a compromising position as he looked to play the puck around the net as Cizikas put a lot off force into his check.

While it might not have been the most noticeable way to stand up for a teammate after a questionable hit, Knies immediately went to the veteran forward which then caused a ruckus after the whistle. There were no gloves dropped or fists being thrown but the intent to send a message was clear.

It was an interesting play because right after the hit, Cizikas looked to have known that a commotion was about to begin and it almost seemed like Tanev stopped Knies from going full-force into a physical altercation.

The defenseman wrapped his arms around Knies, instead of Cizikas or another Islanders player, preventing him from getting into more of a scuffle, attempting to prevent Knies from taking a penalty.

Nothing materialized other than a few shoves and some choice words, which might have been beneficial for Knies, who was sidelined earlier in the season with a concussion after a questionable hit he took from Vegas Golden Knights' defenseman Zach Whitecloud in November.

He was only forced to miss 2 games due to the injury but has certainly missed a step or two since coming back with just 3 goals and 7 points over his last 17 games.

Nevertheless, it's a good sign that Knies is willing to get into the faces of his opposition, especially in defense of a fallen teammate. It could have been a whole lot worse for Tanev as well, but he escaped with no damage as Cizikas was called for a boarding minor.

The Maple Leafs ultimately won the contest by a score of 2-1 as they finished the 3-game season series in style. Knies finished the game with 3 shots and 4 hits, a good sign that his game is coming back to form as he looks to get back on track after a cold stretch.