Video: Tanner Jeannot's hit on Juraj Slafkovsky sparks fight with Arber Xhekaj

A heavyweight battle unfolded on the ice as Arbur Xhekaj and Tanner Jeannot dropped the gloves during a fiery clash between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens.

This intense altercation was ignited by a hard hit on Canadiens prospect Juraj Slafkovsky, leading to a dramatic showdown that had fans on the edge of their seats.

Here's the video:

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Arbur Xhekaj and Tanner Jeannot drop the gloves after Jeannot levels Juraj Slafkovsky, sparking retaliation

The incident that triggered the fisticuffs occurred with around seven minutes remaining in the second period, with the Tampa Bay Lightning holding a commanding 4-0 lead.

Jeannot, a gritty forward known for his physical play, appeared to cross-check Slafkovsky into the boards, sending the young Canadiens prospect sprawling.

The hit on Slafkovsky quickly caught the attention of Arbur Xhekaj, who wasn't about to let his teammate go undefended. Xhekaj, a tough and tenacious defenseman for the Canadiens, sprang into action, showing his loyalty to his fellow player. With tempers flaring, Xhekaj and Jeannot knew that the time had come to settle their differences.

As the gloves dropped and the two bruisers squared off, it was clear that this was a bout between two formidable opponents. Tanner Jeannot took control of the fight right from the get-go, landing several powerful haymakers that had the crowd roaring in approval.

One of the most impactful moments came when Jeannot's punches sent Xhekaj's helmet flying, leaving him exposed in the midst of the exchange.

Despite Xhekaj's valiant effort to defend his teammate, the fight eventually favored Tanner Jeannot. A massive punch from Jeannot connected with Xhekaj, causing him to tumble to the ice. Fans erupted in a throng of thunderous boos and both players headed to the locker room, obviously displeased with Jeannot.

Following the thrilling encounter, the Tampa Bay Lightning maintained their commanding 4-0 lead as they headed into the intermission.

The Tampa Bay Lightning scored all four of their goals in the second period. Michael Eyessimont, Nicholas Paul, Alex Barre-Boulet and Nikita Kucherov found the back of the net against overwhelmed Montreal goalie, Samuel Montembault.

It was only the third start in the young career of Matt Tomkins, who despite his previous two losses, has looked stellar in net, stopping all 13 shots faced. The Lightning have been facing a difficult challenge in replacing their injured goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, and are looking for a reliable hand in the net to turn to.