BOSTON — There are few better ways to win over Boston Bruins fans than with a good, old-fashioned hockey fight.
And Trent Frederic certainly made one heck of a first impression.
The rookie forward, playing in his NHL debut Tuesday night against the Winnipeg Jets at TD Garden, dropped the gloves with Brandon Tanev following a net-front skirmish in the closing minutes of the second period.
Spoiler alert, the 20-year-old from St. Louis can throw absolute haymakers.
The rook landed a couple major right hands on Tanev, working the Jets forward with under-over moves, and getting the takedown. He got several fistbumps from the Bruins faithful as he headed down the tunnel.
Frederic said before making his debut that he was willing to drop the gloves, and he was not lying. It’s not very often a rookie sends the Garden into a frenzy on his first night. Even Frederic’s parents couldn’t hide their excitement.
That’s a five-minute major, they’ll remember forever.
