Even with six goals from the home team, the fight may have attracted the biggest cheers of the night.
“It’s a physical sport,” said Gadjovic, who is considered one of the top NHL fighters. “We’re together as a team. We all have each other’s backs. I was tied up with the nurse. We were stuck together for a few minutes there. It (the fight) felt quite long. We love playing at home.
Just as fans support the Panthers, Gadjovic supports his teammates.
Showing their appreciation, he received the game pack in the locker room after the victory.
“An incredible guy and that whole line,” said forward Brad Merchand, who decided to give Gajovic the puck as the team’s previous winner. “Gudge did an incredible job for those there and challenged nurses.
Gadjovich said that the moment surprised him.
“I didn’t expect that, but getting it from him is cool,” he smiled. “That’s exactly that big team effort. Obviously, everyone could have got that puck, but it’s fun.”
The fight put him in the spotlight, but Gadjovic was an all-playoff stud.
In addition to three points (two goals, one assist), the bearded Bruiser leads the Panthers, ranking first in this postseason with 37.33 hits per 60 minutes.
Working with Tomas Nosek and AJ Greer to form a terrifying fourth line, Gadjovich is in the middle of his second season with the Panthers, but hasn’t scored a goal past the 96:27 ice time, 5-5 in these playoffs.
Returning to the lineup in Game 3 of the second round of the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Mapel Leafs, manager Paul Maurice firmly believes the line gave the Panthers the necessary arm shots.
“It’s not about goals that you’re always scoring, but about energy levels, systematic route consistency, fundamentals,” Maurice said of the physical and predictive trio of veterans. “When they entered the Toronto series, it was an inflection point for me, for me. They’ve come back to our style of game more. Jonah is a big part of that.”
