We finally know the true story about one of the biggest pugilistic mismatches in hockey history.
Diehard hockey fans will recall a seemingly throwaway preseason game from 2013 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres that featured no shortage of violence. The main event improbably pitted Buffalo enforcer John Scott against Toronto sniper Phil Kessel … who is anything but an enforcer.
The two didn’t actually “fight,” per se, despite Scott’s efforts. The big man was out for revenge after a fight earlier in the game, and he was going to take on any challengers. When then-Leafs coach Randy Carlyle sent his first line over the boards late in the game, Scott decided he was gonna target Kessel.
Well, Kessel wasn’t about to let Scott — who racked up 544 career penalty minutes in just 286 games — beat his face in. So, Kessel basically ran away (no judging here), as the rest of his teammates tried to topple Scott. All the while, Kessel whacked at Scott with his stick like he was trying to chop down a redwood.
The incident led to a three-game suspension for Kessel.
All of that brings us to present day where Scott — like the rest of the world — has a podcast. On a recent episode of “Dropping the Gloves with John Scott,” the former All-Star Game MVP explained his side of the entire story in hilarious fashion.
Check it out below (there is some brief explicit language sprinkled into the conversation).
