Tempers flaring and players expressing their frustration are nothing new in the NHL, especially when your team is losing. And that was exactly what was happening to Michael Eyssimont‘s team as the Tampa Bay Lightning trailed the Blackhawks 3-1 with 6 minutes left on the clock. However, Eyssimont’s reaction to a Connor Bedard play may have cost the Bolts a chance at a late comeback.

Chicago’s goalscorer Connor Bedard incurred a penalty for his team after tripping up Erik Cernak and was quick to accept his mistake after the whistle blew. However, what could’ve turned into a power play for Tampa Bay turned into a disaster. Thanks to Michael Eyssimont’s aggressive reaction to Bedard’s play, a brawl broke out. The result? “No PP for Tampa after all — Eyssimont’s dirty play here cancels out Bedard’s trip,” reporter Ben Pope posted.

The response from Chicago came quickly, as Tyler Bertuzzi wasted no time in taking the fight to Eyssimont. Bertuzzi was the closest to Eyssimont and immediately jumped on the Tampa Bay Lightning forward, while others from both teams swarmed the pair.

Meanwhile, a contrasting image simultaneously unfolded as the Bolts’ Ryan McDonagh helped the 19-year-old up on his feet. The fans didn’t support Eyssimont’s actions either, especially because the Bolts forward is almost a decade older and far more experienced than Connor Bedard. On top of that, losing the power play proved disastrous for the Bolts.

“Still 3-1 Hawks with 6 min left,” Ben Pope added to his post. There was a slim chance that the Tampa Bay Lightning may have capitalized on the power play, giving themselves a chance to equalize in the dying moments. However, with the power play canceled, the exact opposite happened. The Blackhawks blasted another goal to end the night at 4-1. However, none of it may have been possible without Bedard’s stellar goal.

The Tampa Bay Lightning star discussed the highlight of the match

After conceding an early goal in the first period, the Chicago Blackhawks started their comeback with a goal that exhibited sheer individual brilliance. Even the official NHL page posted the Bedard finding the back of the net from a nearly 180-degree angle. “You need to check out this shot by Connor Bedard… WOW!” And honestly? WOW doesn’t even begin to cover it!” they captioned the post.

The 19-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning star later elaborated on scoring the highlight of the night. “I saw enough room for the puck to go in,” Bedard told ESPN. “It was late in the power play, and just thought I’d give it a go,” explained the youngster. However, the epic goal didn’t come out of nowhere, nor was it a lucky shot. Bedard revealed he practiced scoring from such odd angles.

“I’ve tried that shot a million times and I finally put one in,” said the ice hockey star. The 19-year-old also shed some light on what was at stake for the Bolts. While Chicago fell behind long ago, Connor Bedard explained that the match was important for the Bolts. The Blackhawk cited the “tight race for the playoffs,” which slipped away a little further after the Bolts lost. Winning the match would’ve put the Tampa Bay Lighting in a favorable spot in the playoff race. Maybe that’s why, despite his experience, Michael Eyssimont lost his cool.