"Fighting over who gets to leave first" - NHL fans react as Canucks' Conor Garland & Filip Hronek reportedly engage in heated training brawl

In Thursday's routine practice session, tensions reportedly flared between the Vancouver Canucks' Conor Garland and Filip Hronek, culminating in a heated brawl.

Brendan Batchelor, the play-by-play voice of the Canucks on Sportsnet650, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the unfolding drama.

"Conor Garland and Filip Hronek come to blows during a battle drill. Ian Cole stepped in to separate them," Batchelor wrote.

NHL fans wasted no time reacting to Batchelor's post. One fan, echoing the sentiments of many, demanded evidence:

"We need a video or it didn’t happen."

Some fans saw the scuffle as a natural display of competitiveness and passion. The Canucks blew a 3-0 lead Wednesday to lose 4-3 in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche.

"Good! Nothing wrong with guys being frustrated the day after a tough loss," remarked one fan.

Another fan delved into the historical context of such confrontations, drawing parallels to legendary teams and their internal battles.

"Love it. Sports history is littered with great teams having battles like this. Just means players give a sh*t."

Meanwhile, a hint of humor emerged amid the seriousness of the situation, with one fan playfully suggesting ulterior motives behind the altercation:

"Fighting over who gets to leave Vancouver first."

Conor Garland and the Canucks lose 4-3 to Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche staged an impressive comeback against the Vancouver Canucks, winning 4-3 in overtime. Valeri Nichushkin's goal just 30 seconds into overtime sealed the deal for the Avalanche.

Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the NHL in scoring, hailed it as the "best win of the year".

Nikita Zadorov of the Canucks acknowledged their mistake:

"I think we lifted our foot off the gas."

The Canucks, initially leading 3-0, saw their four-game winning streak snapped. MacKinnon's goal extended his point streak to 14 games, the longest in the league.

The turning point came late in the second period when Mikko Rantanen tipped in a shot, sparking Colorado's resurgence.

Canucks coach Rick Tocchet acknowledged their struggle to contain Colorado's momentum, lamenting their soft play on the puck. Vancouver had jumped to a quick two-goal lead, with J.T. Miller scoring just 24 seconds into the game, followed by Ilya Mikheyev's deflection.

The Canucks will play the Washington Capitals next.