As if we needed another reason to love David Savard.
Savard, a longtime member of the Columbus Blue Jackets' defensive core and now the franchise leader in blocked shots did something on Monday that might've surprised most.
Following a late-game illegal check on Vladislav Gavrikov by the Washington Capitals' Tom Wilson, Savard played the older-brother role and immediately threw hands with the enforcer from the Metropolitan Division rival team.
Savard didn't win the fight, but he didn't get clobbered either. It was the motivation and message behind No. 58's actions that spoke loudly. No one is going to mess with a member of his team and not answer for it.
Here's why they fought.#CBJ David Savard and #ALLCAPS Tom Wilson drop the gloves. pic.twitter.com/nAYb3CFxR0
— Here's Your Replay (@HeresYourReplay) December 17, 2019
"High marks for (Savard), he's a tough kid...high marks for (Savard) for standing in there," said Head Coach John Tortorella after the win. "(Savard) is not known for that, but when that stuff arises I think it helps your team become closer."
Tortorella that referenced that the locker room seemed to have high marks for the move by Savard as well and "if you heard the locker room when they came in after the game, you'd understand a little bit better."
Savard, on the other hand, had little-to-nothing to say about the scrap with Wilson, other than that he was just doing his due diligence.
"I kinda saw it a bit out of the corner of my eye, it looked like it was a high hit a bit on (Gavrikov)," said Savard after the game. "I don't think it's fair to kind of leave him there, so I just went at (Wilson) a little bit."
Cheers to David Savard, folks. We know that his next beer is on Gavrikov.
