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Tom Wilson showed that he still can go toe-to-toe with the biggest enforcers in the NHL on Saturday night.
Wilson’s latest opponent was 6-foot-9, 242-pound Curtis Douglas of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who forced the Capitals’ alternate captain into a bout with 1:35 remaining in the second period.
Douglas stalked Wilson around Tampa Bay’s defensive zone, grabbed Wilson’s stick so he couldn’t skate away, and dropped his gloves before Wilson knew a fight was on.
After Wilson got his gloves off, he rained down stiff lefts, a big overhand right, and the MMA-style takedown in a decisive win. He then tossed his helmet to the ice and stared down the entire Lightning bench as he made his way down the tunnel to the Capitals’ locker room.
The on-ice officials were vigilant and assessed Douglas a two-minute minor penalty for instigating, a five-minute major for fighting, and a 10-minute misconduct. Wilson only received five minutes for fighting, putting the Capitals on a power play.
Douglas’s ire towards Wilson may stem from Wilson throwing a hit that left Lightning star Nikita Kucherov injured early in the second frame. However, Kucherov seemed more affected by the contact he made with a referee as a result of the hit.
Wilson was not penalized for the hit, and Kucherov went back to the visiting locker room, not returning for the rest of regulation.
Wilson has limited the number of fights he has gotten into as he has matured and become a more integral part of the Capitals. Before Saturday night, his lone fight this season came against Buffalo Sabres forward Jordan Greenway on November 1. Wilson has not gotten into more than five fights in a season since the 2021-22 campaign.
Douglas, who has played in seven fewer games than Wilson this year, has now already gotten into four fights. He recorded a career high of 148 penalty minutes in the AHL for the Tucson Roadrunners during the 2023-24 season.
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