GOTTA SEE IT: Josh Anderson Obliterates Connor Murphy In Fight

Montreal Canadiens forward Josh Anderson showed off the physical side of his game when he dropped the gloves against Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Connor Murphy.

In the absence of Arber Xhekaj, it was Anderson who jumped to the defence of Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, who had been crushed against the boards by Murphy.

Anderson has been asked to step up in a big way from a leadership and offensive perspective with the loss of Cole Caufield, and he’s responded exceptionally well.

He’s played a more physical and aggressive brand of hockey and has made a habit of sticking up for his teammates in heated situations.

He did exactly that, when he saw his captain on the ice after taking a heavy hit from Murphy. There was no hesitation in Anderson’s thought process, he immediately darted toward Murphy and invited him to dance.

Josh Anderson made quick work of Connor Murphy, pummelling him with multiple haymakers before dragging him down the ground and ending a very one-way tilt between two heavy hitters.

Connor Murphy lays a hit on Nick Suzuki, and Josh Anderson gets slapped with a 2-minute instigator, 10-minute misconduct and 5 for fighting. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/sCfmPSm8w5

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 15, 2023

Anderson was awarded an extra two-minute penalty on the penalty, along with five minutes for fighting and a ten-minute misconduct for instigating a fight.

It did send the Montreal Canadiens to the penalty kill, but it’s the kind of play that you want to see from your leadership group when one of their top players is targeted by the opposition.

The Habs thankfully killed off the penalty with ease and any potential damage was averted.

The Montreal Canadiens are going to need some team toughness with their top enforcer in Arber Xhekaj out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, especially down the stretch this season.

Anderson continues to prove why he’s such a hot commodity on the trade market; combining a rare mix of toughness, speed and shooting ability; making him a true power forward.