Watch: Jake McCabe's fight with Garnet Hathaway forces Leafs D-man to exit game after slamming head onto ice

During the final seconds of the first period, Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe and Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway engaged in a fight behind the net.

A collision between Hathaway and Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby earlier in the period sparked the altercation. McCabe, unhappy with Hathaway's actions, initiated the confrontation.

When Hathaway finally responded by dropping his gloves, Jake McCabe found himself on the losing end of the exchange.

Watch the video here:

The fight turned concerning when McCabe fell, hitting his head hard on the ice. Despite his efforts to get back up, he struggled and ultimately skated off the ice with assistance.

The Toronto Maple Leafs later confirmed that McCabe would not return to the game due to the upper-body injury sustained during the altercation. Meanwhile, the matchup ended with the Leafs beating the Flyers 3-2 in overtime.