Photo credit: RDS
Arseni Radkov saw chaos erupt Friday night, and Halifax Mooseheads goalie Owen Bresson answered as the Saint John Sea Dogs prospect dropped the gloves.
The game already had an edge. Halifax led the shot clock 39-26 and pushed the pace all night inside TD Station.
Saint John stayed within reach anyway. Angelo Fullerton scored twice for the Sea Dogs, including his 24th of the season early in the second period.
But the temperature spiked midway through that frame.
At 12:07 of the second period, both goaltenders left their creases and squared off. Owen Bresson and Arseni Radkov met near center ice as players circled and the crowd roared.
Both goalies were handed fighting majors and game misconducts after the exchange.
Radkov, an 18-year-old drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round (#82 overall) in 2025, doesn't usually headline games this way.
The Belarusian netminder is known for his size at 6-foot-4 and his positional calm in the crease.
Chaos shifts momentum in tight Halifax win
The fight came with the score tied 4-4, turning an already heated game into a full bench-to-bench emotional swing.
Just minutes later, Halifax grabbed the lead for good. Owen Phillips scored the winner late in the second period on the power play.
The Mooseheads held that 5-4 edge through the third, closing the door despite a push from Saint John.
Radkov finished the night allowing 4 goals on 26 shots before the incident ended his evening.
Bresson faced heavier traffic, stopping 34 of 39 shots in the Halifax crease.
For Radkov, the moment will draw attention beyond the scoreboard. Montreal scouts and development staff track every detail with their young prospects.
Goalie fights are rare in junior hockey. When they involve an NHL organization's recent draft pick, the spotlight only grows.
Inside the Sea Dogs locker room, the hope is simple: keep the emotion, keep the compete level, but keep the focus on the crease.
Because when Radkov stays square to the puck, that's when the Canadiens prospect really makes noise.
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