The stitches under Nick Cousins’ left eye on Monday at practice were the battle scars he wore after settling a score on the weekend.
The Montreal Canadiens were bound and determined to make sure the gritty Ottawa Senators winger paid the price on Saturday night for the slash to Ivan Demidov’s wrist in an exhibition game a month ago.
The 32-year-old Cousins was aware that he would have to drop the gloves at some point in the club’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Habs at the Bell Centre, as the Habs had stated publicly that this would be the case.
That’s why it wasn’t a shock to see Cousins fight Montreal’s Jayden Struble in the third period. Cousins took a couple of hard punches and didn’t return to the game, but he told reporters after a lengthy skate on Monday that he’ll be fine to face the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
Cousins was a full participant in the club’s skate and skills session at the Bell Sensplex.
Did Cousin know he’d have to fight?
“Definitely, it is what it is,” Cousins said. “Sometimes you’ve got to answer the bell for your actions. I’m certainly glad that Demidov was OK. I’ve definitely got to take care of my stick a little bit better.
“Sometimes you’ve got to answer the bell. I did that, it’s over with and we can move on now.”
It’s about accountability.
The incident took place on Sept. 30 when the Senators and Habs faced off at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, but Montreal players felt the $2,100 US fine that Cousins got from the National Hockey League’s department of player safety wasn’t enough.
Cousins noted that when the fight finally took place at 1:15 of the third period, he had been challenged earlier in the game by Struble.
“He asked me a bunch of times earlier in the game and I’d figured I’d make him wait until the third period,” Cousins said with a laugh. “I figured that was going to happen. I figured I’d kind of wait and fight him on my own terms when I thought the time was right.
“It was 2-2, we got it over with and I’m sick of talking about it, to be honest.”
Struble made it clear to Cousins that he would have to fight. The Habs weren’t willing to just let this go. The Montreal players made it clear heading into the game that remember what took place in Quebec City.
“As soon as the game started, I told him I was coming,” Struble said. “We weren’t really the ice with each other, ever, so I’m glad we got that time on the ice together.
“It was a checklist for sure, but you’re not going to hurt the team and take a penalty or something. So, I’m glad it happened like that, where we both just dropped the gloves and sat out for five (minutes).”
It was a tough matchup for Cousins because there was a noticeable size difference between the two. He’s a pest to play against and the incident with Demidov wasn’t something Cousins is known for in his career.
“When you have a guy like that taking a shot at your star young player, that was a bad play,” Struble said. “None of us liked it. We were thinking about it. This is the first time we played him since. That’s on our minds. You can’t go around trying to hurt our best players.”
Green said Cousins had to do what he did.
“He knew he was going to, and that’s fine, that’s part of the code,” Green said. “Those guys who have been in the league for quite a while understand that they’re going to have to answer. Give him credit, he did.”
The Senators knew heading into the game in Montreal that it could get nasty, especially with this rivalry growing. The teams piled up 150 minutes in penalties in Quebec City and that’s why it made sense for coach Travis Green to dress tough-guy Kurtis MacDermid against the Habs.
He was acquired only 48 hours after the brawl in the pre-season and can hold the opposition accountable. He challenged Montreal defenceman Arber Xhekaj, but Xhekaj wasn’t a willing participant.
“(MacDermid) brings an element that is hard to find, but he also understands that he might not play that much some nights,” Green said.