Canadiens forward warns Ryan Reaves a rematch is coming

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TJ Tucker
September 24, 2023 (11:18)

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As the old saying goes, 'if at first you don't succeed...'.

The Toronto Maple Leafs added a ton of muscle over the summer, with one new component being tough guy Ryan Reaves. That makes Michael Pezzetta of the Montreal Canadiens very happy.

Pezzetta challenged Reaves to a fight in 2021 when Reaves was a member of the New York Rangers. It was a ballsy move by Pezzetta, who was a newcomer at the time. It went down the way many expected, with Reaves doing what he does best and taking Pezzetta down with ease.

Despite that, Pezzetta was pleased to hear that Reaves had signed with rival team the Toronto Maple Leafs as it makes it more likely that he'll get a rematch.

"When I heard Reaves was signing with Toronto, I was excited. I'm someone who likes to play hard, so when there are guys like him on the other side, it makes things more interesting."

"You never know. Maybe I'll get another chance to fight him, and this time it'll be better." - Michael Pezzetta, Journal de Montreal

As for the spanking he got from Reaves, Pezzetta says he has zero regrets.

"I don't know about you, but I was at center ice at Madison Square Garden, I'd gotten my first point two games earlier and my first goal the game before that. So that fight with him, for me, was a lot of fun." - Michael Pezzetta, Journal de Montreal

To get his chance at redemption, or to at least show he can hang with the big boys, Pezzetta will have to stay in Montreal's lineup. He says he's done everything he can over the summer to ensure that happens.

"I've improved my skating. My body is more explosive. Being quicker on my starts and more comfortable when I get the puck will enable me to be more effective in my role. When I touch the puck, I need to already know what I'm going to do with it, rather than thinking about it once it's on the blade of my stick." - Michael Pezzetta, Journal de Montreal