"The scrap came just shortly after linemate Nick Robertson got hit near the boards by LaCombe, resulting in Cowan quickly jumping in and defending his teammate. While the sight of the 20-year-old getting into it with the Ducks blueliner was surprising, it showed the reinforcements that were lacking when the Leafs captain, Auston Matthews, took a brutal knee-on-knee from Radko Gudas, the Ducks captain."
"With Cowan jumping in to defend Robertson, it showed that the rookie wasn't afraid to step up for his linemate, which should be noticed. He showed that you can't get away with a hit on his teammate that easily. While Cowan is probably one of the last Leafs that anyone would have on their bingo sheet for being involved in a fight, he showed he deserves a big opportunity moving forward with the Leafs."
"Of course, the Leafs and Craig Berube don't expect Cowan to drop the gloves every night, but he deserves to see more ice time, more opportunity to roll with some of the big guys more often, and just overall more respect as a player and a person. Nobody expects Cowan to be an enforcer of any sort, but he should become the guy who can step up for the team when needed."
The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Anaheim Ducks 6-4, breaking an eight-game losing streak. The team scored multiple powerplay goals during the game. Rookie Easton Cowan, a 20-year-old, engaged in a fight with Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe after LaCombe hit Cowan's linemate Nick Robertson near the boards. Cowan's willingness to defend his teammate demonstrated leadership and toughness despite being significantly smaller than LaCombe. The incident highlighted the physical nature of the game and the team's need for players willing to stand up for one another, particularly following an earlier knee-on-knee hit on captain Auston Matthews by Ducks captain Radko Gudas.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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