[WATCH] Arber Xhekaj chucks knuckles with Ross Johnston in heavyweight tilt

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj set off fireworks on Sunday evening as he took on the Anaheim Ducks' tough guy Ross Johnston.

The bout took place during the first period of the Ducks-Habs tilt at the Honda Center. The two pugilists dropped gloves with a little under five minutes to go in the period, setting the crowd on fire.

Both combatants traded blows before falling to the ice. Johnston dropped a few more shots on Arber Xhekaj than the latter before officials broke up the scrum.

Here’s a look at the wild action:

Arber Xhekaj got the worst of the bout despite getting a few solid shots in. Unfortunately, he couldn't prevail in the heavyweight fight. It's worth pointing out that Xhekaj and Johnston had chucked knuckles in February 2024, making this bout a rematch.

Xhekaj’s efforts earned him stick taps from this teammates on the bench despite being on the wrong end of the heavyweight tilt.

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Arber Xhekaj’s costly defensive miscue

The Montreal Canadiens lost their fifth straight game on Sunday evening despite having a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. The Habs got two first-period goals as the club attempted to set the tone for the rest of the game.

However, the Ducks got back into the game with two goals in the second period, setting up for a tight-checking third period, which was what fans got. But the outcome wasn’t quite what Montreal fans would’ve wanted. With less than nine minutes to go, the Ducks' Alex Killorn got a golden opportunity to put his team ahead.

As Killorn took the puck into the high slot, Arber Xhekaj moved into stick-check the puck off Killorn’s stick. However, Xhekaj missed Killorn’s stick, allowing the Ducks forward to get the shot away.

The puck appeared to hit Arber Xhekaj’s stick and redirect it past Habs netminder Samuel Montembeault. The puck hit the back of the net and gave the Ducks a 3-2 lead.

Here’s a look at the tally:

The shot flummoxed Montembeault, as the redirection made it virtually impossible to stop it. While Montembeault set up to make the save, the shot breezed past his blocker, leaving the Habs goalie in disbelief.

Overall, it was a tough game for the Canadiens, as they have now lost five in a row. The Habs had been pushing themselves into the Eastern Conference playoff race. But the losing streak has dropped them near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, making it challenging for the Montreal Canadiens to get back into the hunt for a wildcard spot.

The Canadiens remain within striking distance but will need to turn things around quickly if they seek to return into the playoff picture this season.