Rick Bowness challenges Dean Evason to a fight from the bench!

It’s too bad the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild don’t face off in the first round of the playoffs. Because Tuesday night’s matchup had everything a good hockey game needs.

With Winnipeg locking the final playoff spot in the West, things got chipy in Minnesota. Ryan Hartman levelled Nikolaj Ehlers with an open-ice, after the Jets’ forward went after superstar Kirill Kaprizov, and Hartman drew a double minor for roughing and interference. Neal Pionk also drew a five-minute penalty for cross-checking.

A scrum erupted in the last minutes of the third frame after ugly hits were delivered, and Wild head coach Dean Evason sent out enforcer Ryan Reaves to provoke a fight on the following shift. Reaches dropped the gloves with Jets’ Adam Lowry and his coach Rick Bowness was not happy about it. He called out Evason and even appeared to mock his height and challenge him to a fight.

Evason responded by waving Bowness over in a fight well never get to see.

Settle down, grumpy old men! You have more important things to focus on. The Jets will face the No. 1 overall seed in the first round starting next week, with the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are still competing for the top spot. Minnesota will either play Colorado or Dallas in the first round.

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