When there is action in a Columbus Blue Jackets game, it is rare that Mathieu Olivier is not involved. The robust Quebecer came to the defense of a teammate on Tuesday evening, and he did not hesitate.
Midway through the second period, Cole Sillinger looked to avenge his teammate Dante Fabbro, who fell in action earlier in the period. The defender was injured by knee-to-knee contact with Conor Geekie and had to leave the match.
Dante Fabbro must leave the match after hard contact –
Geekie had to sit in the penalty box for two minutes, but he was expected back on the ice. Sillinger tried to shake him up near the players’ benches, but two Lightning rivals came to their teammate’s aid.
That’s when Olivier came flying to Sillinger’s aid, literally. The brawler landed on a stack of four players and managed to separate the belligerents. Watch in main video.
It was ultimately Sillinger and Brandon Hagel who had to reprimand each other, exchanging pleasantries under the nose of the referee for several seconds.
“Cole Sillinger did the right thing,” Jackets head coach Dean Evason said at a press briefing after the game.
“It’s really terrible,” he added of Fabbro’s injury. It’s not a hockey game. “It’s unfortunate, but at least our group stuck together in this situation.”
The Lightning, who led 3-0 at the time, eventually won 5-3.
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