On March 12, Radko Gudas ended Auston Matthews’ season with a hard hit. On Monday, Gudas played even though he was hurt, to deal with what happened against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is now getting some compliments for how he managed the fight.
In the game on Monday between the Anaheim Ducks and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Maple Leafs won 5-4 in overtime, which kept their hopes for the playoffs alive for a little longer.
Radko Gudas’ hit on Auston Matthews
Even though the Ducks lost, they are still at the top of the Pacific Division. However, most of the attention last night was on Radko Gudas. In their previous matchup on March 12, Gudas hit the Maple Leafs’ captain Auston Matthews in the knee. Matthews ended up with a serious injury to his left leg, including a torn MCL and a bruised thigh, which will keep him out for 12 weeks. After the incident, Gudas said he felt sorry about the hit, which got him a five-game ban.
“I understand the league’s choice. I didn’t like where the hit happened either. I need to respect their decision, learn from it, and improve as a player. Hurting someone is never my goal. It’s very sad. I reached out to him, we talked, and I truly don’t wish for anyone to get injured, so I feel really bad about it,” Gudas mentioned.
Radko Gudas’ fight against Max Domi
Last Thursday, Radko Gudas got hurt in his lower body while playing against the Calgary Flames and missed one game on Saturday. However, he was determined to play on Monday to take responsibility for his hit on Matthews.
“I want to own up to my mistakes. I need to face this myself, so that’s one of the reasons why I’m playing,” Gudas told reporters before the game.
Only three seconds after the game began, Max Domi from the Maple Leafs targeted Gudas. Gudas responded but in his own style. He removed his gloves but didn’t throw any punches. Instead, he held onto Domi’s jersey tightly until Domi knocked him to the ground with some hits.
Cheered by supporters
Now, people are talking positively
about Radko Gudas online for the way he dealt with the conflict.
“I really liked it, honestly. It showed that he respects the game a lot. He realized that what he did was a mistake, and he understood that he should get hit for it. Sometimes things go wrong, but it matters how you react,” a fan shared on X.
“I respect him more now; he took his punches like a real man. He knew this would happen and still chose to play even though he was hurt,” another fan mentioned.
“He displayed bravery and followed the code by not backing down and taking a hit for his team, just like a true captain ought to do. You can think what you want about his choices, but this is what a leader is all about. No doubt,” a third person added.
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