It started with a flash of red and blue under the harsh lights of Place Bell—a moment so electric, so raw, that for a split second, the ice seemed to tremble. Florian Xhekaj, all intensity and purpose, locked eyes with Michael Pezzetta, the former Canadiens brawler now wearing Marlies blue, and the arena held its breath. It wasn’t just another fight; it was a collision of old loyalties and new grudges, set against the backdrop of a rivalry that had been simmering for years. Somewhere in the chaos, Marc Del Gaizo lay on the ice, the victim of a hit that would ignite more than just tempers.

The crowd had come for hockey, but what they got was something closer to gladiatorial combat. Early in the game, the Rocket surged ahead, their 2-0 lead promising a night of dominance. But as the scoreboard ticked forward, tension crackled between the boards. Pezzetta, no stranger to controversy, delivered a blindside hit that left Del Gaizo crumpled and uncertain, his fate hanging in the balance as trainers rushed to assess his injury. The hit was questionable, the intention debated, but the reaction was unmistakable—Florian Xhekaj was not going to let it slide.

What happened next was the kind of scene that fans replay for years: gloves dropped, fists flying, and a scrum that pulled in half the roster. Xhekaj, just 21 but already carrying the weight of expectation—his brother’s legacy, his own rising star—made it clear that respect on this ice was earned, not inherited. The cameras zoomed in, capturing every punch, every glare, every word exchanged in the heat of battle. For a moment, it felt as if the outcome of the entire season hinged on this fight, this confrontation between past and present.

Behind the spectacle, the numbers told their own story. Xhekaj, with 19 games, 4 goals, 4 assists, and a mountain of penalty minutes, was proving he was more than just a familiar name; he was a force to be reckoned with. His three-year entry-level contract with the Rocket was a testament to the organization’s faith in his future. Pezzetta, meanwhile, brought his own history—a veteran of 200 Canadiens games, now fighting for Toronto with a two-year deal and a reputation for never backing down. When these two collided, it wasn’t just about settling scores; it was about sending a message to every player in the division.

As the dust settled and the Rocket emerged victorious, fans were left with more questions than answers. Would Del Gaizo return? Would the rivalry intensify? And what did Xhekaj say to Pezzetta in those final, heated seconds? The answers were hidden behind closed locker room doors, in whispered conversations and lingering glances. But one thing was certain: Place Bell had witnessed a night that would echo through the halls of hockey memory, a night where Florian Xhekaj taught Michael Pezzetta—and everyone watching—that some lessons are learned the hard way.

There’s more to this story than fists and penalties. There’s a secret in the aftermath, a twist that only those closest to the ice can truly understand. And if you think you know how it ends, you might want to read a little further…

Photo of Marc Del Gaizo (left) Florian Xhekaj fighting Michael Pezzetta (right)

Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey

Things heated up at Place Bell last night when Florian Xhekaj dropped the gloves against Michael Pezzetta.

The scene quickly made the rounds, because Pezzetta is not a tourist. The guy played 200 games with the Montreal Canadiens before changing sides.

Friday night, the Laval Rocket were hosting the Toronto Marlies, with both teams well established in the North Division. Laval came in with a 16-7-0 record, Toronto with 10-11-2.

Early in the game, the Rocket took a 2-0 lead and Xhekaj already had an assist on the scoresheet. It set the tone for a night that clearly smelled of rivalry.

Xhekaj eventually dropped the gloves against Marlies forward Michael Pezzetta, after the former Hab delivered a highly questionable blindside hit on Marc Del Gaizo.

You can watch the full sequence here:

A scrum involving multiple players began at the conclusion of the fight.

“Marc Del Gaizo’s return to the game (injury) is uncertain, he is currently being assessed. An update will follow.” – Rocket

Xhekaj vs. Pezzetta: More Than Just a Name, and the Result to Prove It

At 21 years old, he is not just a known name because of his brother. With the Rocket this season, he had 19 games played, 4 goals, 4 assists, and 46 penalty minutes. His entry-level contract is signed for three seasons, from 2024-2025 to 2026-2027. This is exactly the type of file fans follow closely, especially when things get physical.

Pezzetta, for his part, is 27 years old and now wears Toronto’s colors in the American Hockey League. With the Marlies, he had 16 games played, 3 assists, and 15 penalty minutes at the time of the update. As for salary, he has a two-year contract worth $1,625,000, or $812,500 per season. When a former Canadien ends up across from a Xhekaj, it always draws the cameras.

In the end, Florian and the Rocket came up on top and taught Pezzetta and the Marlies a big lesson.