Nick Cousins, the Florida Panthers forward known for his "ratty" on-ice behavior, was finally called to account for his recent actions. Cousins, who gained infamous attention for injuring Arizona Coyotes forward Jason Zucker, faced off against Washington Capitals forward Anthony Mantha in a fight tonight.
Cousins initiated the altercation by striking Mantha with his stick, prompting the larger Mantha to retaliate. Mantha swiftly dropped his gloves and began striking Cousins, who only managed a feeble punch before gettin into a defensive stance.
Instead of fighting back, Cousins opted to protect himself from further harm by quickly defending himself, further cementing his negative reputation in the NHL. Cousins has been criticized as a dirty player who often avoids confrontation, and this incident will only reinforce that reputation. Kevin Bieksa even publicly criticized him on national TV, branding him a "rat."
