Last night’s clash between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators in Quebec City quickly spiraled from a heated rivalry into a spectacle of chaos, leaving fans and players alike stunned by the reckless intensity on display.
As the third period unfolded, it became clear that the Canadiens were playing more to protect themselves than to win, dodging a barrage of dangerous hits and questionable plays.
Yet, amid all the drama, one moment has ignited a firestorm of controversy and speculation—the shocking slash delivered by Nick Cousins to young Ivan Demidov.
While the headlines have focused on the aftermath and possible league consequences, an even more unsettling detail has emerged, one that raises serious questions about motive and character.
Why would Cousins risk retaliation and suspension with such a blatant act? The answer, hidden in plain sight, is more disturbing than anyone imagined and points to a level of calculated cowardice that has fans furious and analysts baffled.
What really drove Cousins to target Demidov at that exact moment? Was it simply heat-of-the-game aggression, or something far more strategic and sinister? The truth behind this incident might change how we view NHL rivalries—and the players who are willing to cross the line. Read on to uncover what really happened and why this story is far from over.
Photo credit: HabsFanatics/NHL
Last night’s game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators, live from Quebec City, literally turned into a fiasco.
As Alexandre Carrier very well mentioned in his post-game press conference, during the third period, the Habs players were simply trying to avoid injuries and many dangerous hits.
We can think of Hayden Hodgson on Alex Newhook, Donovan Sebrango on Kirby Dach, and several others, but the one everyone is talking about today is without a doubt the slash delivered by Nick Cousins to young Ivan Demidov.
As Eric Engels reports, there will be possible consequences.
In short, we were really wondering why Cousins decided to make such a move, especially knowing he would then have to answer to brothers Florian and Arber Xhekaj.. But here it is, the answer!
It went unnoticed, but it’s worse than we thought and it’s more cowardly than we thought of Cousins.
Nick Cousins went after Ivan Demidov because Arber Xhekaj had been ejected from the game!
Unbelievable.. Same goes for his brother, by the way!
“This was not only a dirty slash by Nick Cousins to intentionally injure Ivan Demidov, it was also cowardly to do it after Arber Xhekaj had left the game”
– HabsOnReddit
This was not only a dirty slash by Nick Cousins to intentionally injure Ivan Demidov, it was also cowardly to do it after Arber Xhekaj had left the game
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) October 1, 2025
That’s such a good point!
If Xhekaj had still been in the game, would Nick Cousins have done it?
Knowing how fearful and cowardly he is, allow me to doubt it!
That said, as you know, Arber Xhekaj is capable of having a long memory, so Cousins might well regret it in the end.
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