Former Capitals head coach Adam Oates used to refer to Tom Wilson as a man child. Here’s another reason why.
Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Wilson tried to take on three of the Penguins’ five skaters on the ice during a scrum.
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Wilson appears to have been perturbed by a Jake Guentzel shove to Alex Ovechkin. He then goes into Tom Smash Mode.
To get to Guentzel, Wilson goes through defenseman Marcus Pettersson first. He shoves Pettersson over so hard that he knocks over Alex Ovechkin. Next, Wilson gets his hands on Guentzel, but Erik Gudbranson grabs Wilson from behind. The six-foot five-inch Penguins defenseman spins Tom around by the neck. Wilson engages him, but slips. The two fall to the ice.
The mess of bodies strewn about the ice defines Wilson as a player: he’s fearless, he’s strong as heck, and you’re better off not messing with him.
This play reminds me of that one time Wilson checked three Blue Jackets players at the same time during an October 2013 game.
Wilson was eventually corraled to the penalty box where he passionately discussed his issues with Gudbranson and his role in the fracas. The two players were given matching minors for roughing.
Earlier in the day, Gudbranson, who the Penguins traded for at the trade deadline to counter Wilson in the postseason, spoke about his mentality addressing Wilson when he was on the ice.
“Obviously, I’m going to have my eye for him but I’m going to play my game,” Gudbranson said according to PGH Hockey Now. “If the situation arises, I’ve never been one to back down. I guess I can leave it at that.”
The melee wasn’t the only time Wilson terrorized the Penguins. In the first period, the Capitals enforcer also blew up Jack Johnson with a big hit in the corner.
We are all this Penguins fan.
Makin the Pens ladies show their ‘OH!’ Face pic.twitter.com/6UFnodAIK7
— Travis Verner (@vern_it_up) March 12, 2019
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