Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Kuraly, right, fights Washington Capitals right wing Ryan Leonard (9) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joe Maiorana)AP
Ryan Leonard’s accelerated NHL initiation included a fight on Saturday.
In the Capitals’ 7-0 loss to the Blue Jackets on Saturday, Leonard, who was playing in his sixth NHL game, bounced back from a big hit in the first period, was right in the middle of a feisty second period.
After he and ex-Bruins forward Sean Kuraly first cross-checked each other, they tossed aside their gloves and went at it amid a series of skirmishes happening on the ice.
With no fighting in college hockey, Leonard, who signed with Washington after two seasons at Boston College, was willing, but looked a little inexperienced overall and unorthodox leading with his left hand.
Kuraly, 32, isn’t a regular glove-dropper but is a veteran of over 10 NHL bouts. He got the better of the exchange that earned each player 7 minutes of penalty box time, but Leonard’s teammates seemed to appreciate his willingness to stand in.
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