During the Philadelphia Flyers’ 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday, Nikita Grebenkin made a bit of a surpise, dropping the gloves with Kraken defenseman Cale Fleury.
The Flyers’ rookie is not a starnger to fighting, but it’s not something he does oftern. On his record, he dropped the gloves once with the Maple Leafs. Grebenkin also fought while on the Phantoms last season.
As a rookie, especially one not known for fighting, it’s rare to see a fight. For Nikita Grebenkin, he stepped in for his vet, Garnet Hathawaty.
Hathaway has been the verteran presence playing with the Flyers’ two rookies, Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko, on that fourth line. Fleury made an awkward hit up high on Hathaway, so the Flyers’ rook stepped in.
The fight was not long. Grebenkin was able to fit in a couple of jabs before taking Fleury to the ice, then firing up the Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd.
Fighting comes with penalty minutes, but those are the penalties teams love to kill.
“Yeah, we’ll kill those kind of penalties,” Flyers’ captain Sean Couturier said. “Not sure he’s ever fought before. It’s nice to see that he cares about his teamates, and is willing to do that.”
Grebenkin was not only given the five minute major for fighting, but also earned himself a 10-minute misconduct for instigating the fight. Sticking up for his teammate was more important.
“We’re not preaching fighting, but we’re trying to create a cluture of sticking together,” head coach RIck Tocchet said after the game.
Grebenkin stepping in for Hathaway is one of many examples of Flyers’ stepping in for their teammates. Matvei Michkov tried to fight earlier in the season after Travis Konecny was hit high. Konecny himself stepped in for Owen Tippett on Monday.
While fighting is not always the way to show it, the Flyers have certainly built a strong culture of caring.
Read More: Flyers Show Fight, Dominate Seattle in 5-2 Win Monday Night
Watch: Nikita Grebenkin Fight vs. Cale Fleury
Read More: Is Michkov’s Lack of Ice Time Early Cause for Concern?