Friday night, Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky got in his first career fight against the New Jersey Devils. After watching Dmitry Orlov get pushed off balance and slam legs-first into the boards, Burakovsky, who Alex Ovechkin later would refer to as the team’s “tough guy,” made a b-line towards Blake Coleman and dropped the gloves.

Burakovsky’s former roommate Tom Wilson made his first comments about the melee Saturday and it went about how’d you imagine.

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Rinkside Update | "I'd like to take some credit for toughening him up and making sure he was ready for that first bout." #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/xMZRtN5fwI

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2017

Calling Burkie his “little brother,” Wilson revealed that the top six forward was so proud of his work that he pulled up the highlights after the game.

“I think he had fun with it,” Wilson said with a smile to the Capitals’ Mike Vogel. “He was showing me highlights on the bus after.”

“That’s part of our identity in this locker room,” Wilson continued. “It doesn’t matter who it is. If you see a teammate go down, guys are going to jump in and defend each other.”

Wilson elaborated that Burkie’s “awesome” performance was likely due to the battles the two of had off the ice.

“I’ve toughened him up over the course of three or four years. He’s like a little brother,” Wilson said. “He pokes you and pokes you and you kind of get in a bit of a tussle. I’d like to take some credit for toughening him up and making sure he was ready for that first bout.”

This falls in line with what former roommate Michael Latta said several years ago while he was still a member of the Capitals.

“They’re always wrestling,” Latta said of Wilson and Burakovsky. “It doesn’t matter if they’re making dinner or doing something, they’re always like… it’s exactly like having two little brothers. That’s what it’s like.”

I guess all that wrestling finally paid off @andreburakovsky #heavy.

— Michael Latta (@Latta17) October 14, 2017