Tensions were high after the Belleville Senators eliminated the Toronto Marlies from the AHL playoffs on Sunday.
Marlies veteran Kyle Clifford went after Senators forward Boko Imama during the handshake line, forcing the officials to step in.
“Things happen, we didn’t start anything, we were minding our business,” Imama said after the game.
“I guess they couldn’t just live with that fact. They did what they wanted to do. We just brushed it off, we have work to do so we’ll just let that go.”
Marlies head coach Jon Gruden said the incident was “not great to see.”
“That shouldn’t happen,” Gruden said.
“I’m just glad at the end of the day, the cooler heads prevailed and were able to at least have some gamesmanship and show everyone that you still go through, if you lose, and shake hands because that’s what the game is about.”
Clifford and Imama have a history from an earlier meeting in January that ended with both players suspended three games.
In that January game, Imama speared Marlies goalie Dennis Hildeby as the teams were leaving the ice for the second intermission.
Clifford went after Imama and the two fought, leading to the suspensions.
“It’s my first year in that battle and I can promise you that I don’t like them too much,” Imama said Sunday in reference to the rivalry with Toronto. “I’m very happy that we got the win.”
The Senators eliminated the Marlies with a 4-3 overtime win Sunday to take the best-of-three series 2-1.
Belleville will now face Cleveland in the next round of the playoffs.
