Tensions boiled over in a wild matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, and one moment in particular quickly became the talk of the hockey world.
An intense, penalty-filled game ended with Buffalo escaping with an 8-7 win, but much of the attention afterward centered on a controversial sequence involving Lightning forward Brandon Hagel and Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
Reaction to Lightning’ Brandon Hagel’s Hit on Rasmus Dahlin
The matchup turned chaotic almost immediately. In total, the game featured five fights, 27 penalties, and roughly 100 penalty minutes, making it one of the most heated contests of the season.
The fireworks began less than five minutes into the first period. Hagel delivered a late hit on Sabres star Tage Thompson right as the whistle sounded, which prompted a quick response from Dahlin. And Dahlin ended up fighting with Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh.
Later in the period, Sabres forward Sam Carrick squared off with Lightning enforcer Scott Sabourin. Then, Hagel and Buffalo forward Peyton Krebs also dropped the gloves. Bowen Byram and Charles Edouard D’Astous received 10-minute misconduct and roughing penalties during the same chaotic sequence.
It continued in the second period as well. Off the opening draw, Michael Kesselring and Erik Cernak dropped the gloves. And just four seconds later, Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn fought veteran Lightning winger Corey Perry.
The most controversial moment came at 3:35 of the second period. Brandon Hagel tried to get Rasmus Dahlin to fight, but Dahlin turned away. Hagel then threw several punches to Dahlin’s back, sending the Buffalo captain to the ice.
Brandon Hagel received a double minor for this dirty play on Rasmus Dahlin😬
— Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) March 9, 2026
Hagel received a double minor for roughing and stayed in the game, a call that quickly sparked debate across the NHL, with analysts and reporters reacting online.
One NHL news account asked on social media whether Hagel should have been tossed from the game entirely after the incident. “Should he have been ejected from the game?” Gino Hard wrote on X. Meanwhile, analyst Conor Hurley suggested the play could result in a suspension. “The cherry on top of all of this will be Brandon Hagel being suspended for six plus games later this week,” Hurley said.
Some reactions were even harsher. One hockey scout blasted Hagel’s actions, saying, “Brandon Hagel quickly becoming the biggest douche on the planet.”
While reporter Brayton J. Wilson questioned why officials didn’t stop the play sooner, writing that Hagel should have been thrown out after landing so many punches. “Get Brandon Hagel off the ice, for crying out loud. How did they let him get that many shots in without blowing the whistle? Throw. Him. Out. #Sabres,” Wilson wrote.
Despite the chaos, the game remained wide open offensively. With 15 total goals in a back-and-forth contest.
The NHL hadn’t seen a game with that many combined goals since the Philadelphia Flyers faced the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 21, 1994.
The two teams will meet again on April 6 in Buffalo, setting the stage for what could be another heated showdown.
