‘Matt Martin’s dead,’ Gudbranson reportedly says after loss to Leafs

The Vancouver Canucks have a lot of problems. The Toronto Maple Leafs are on now on the list.

Things got ugly between the two clubs Saturday in the third period of an eventual 6-3 Toronto win. It was Vancouver's eighth straight defeat, and frustrations reached their boiling point after the game, when defenseman Erik Gudbranson was reportedly heard threatening Maple Leafs enforcer Matt Martin.

Here's what happened in the third frame that led to the above comment:

  • Morgan Rielly hit Jannik Hansen with a shoulder in the neutral zone, which looked a lot worse than it was.
  • Moments later, Nazem Kadri caught Daniel Sedin with a vicious blindside hit, for which the Maple Leafs forward will likely be suspended. Hansen fought Kadri in the aftermath.
  • With more than half the third period in the books, and almost five minutes after the Kadri-Sedin incident, Derek Dorsett and Leo Komarov dropped the gloves. Dorsett had apparently turned down an invitation from Martin before fighting Komarov. Dorsett had to be restrained as he was being escorted off the ice after the fight, as he and Martin exchanged words.
  • On the next faceoff, Alex Burrows instigated a fight with Rielly, after appearing to spear the Toronto defender on a prior shift.
  • With just over five minutes to play, Martin went after Canucks rookie defenseman Troy Stecher, and that got Ryan Miller involved, as he rushed from his position in goal in to help his young teammate in the corner.
  • Martin, Miller, and Frederik Andersen received game misconducts. The two goalies were tossed for leaving their crease.
  • The last five minutes were played without incident - and with short benches.

Miller talked about his decision to confront Martin after the game:

In the end, the Canucks finished with 86 minutes in penalties, while the Maple Leafs came in at 55.

There's sure to be more fireworks on Dec. 3, when the two teams meet again in Vancouver.

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