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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes turned heads with a thunderous open-ice hit on Buffalo's Victor Olofsson in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Sabres.
The crushing blow from the normally finesse-focused Hughes energized Rogers Arena and garnered reaction from fans online.
One fan tweeted: "Poor mans Cale Makar."
In a game where he also notched two assists, Hughes lined up Olofsson in the neutral zone during the first period and leveled the Sabres forward. In the middle of the second period, Vancouver extended its lead by scoring two goals. Elias Pettersson scored with help from Hughes and JT Miller.
Here are some fan reactions to Hughes’s hit:
Quinn Hughes is a key contributor for Vancouver with 13 goals and 66 assists resulting in 79 points this season.
“That's a message to the rest of the league. Don't go up the middle with Quinn Hughes,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said post-game.
The Vancouver Canucks (43-18-8) lead the Pacific Division with 94 points, followed by the Edmonton Oilers with 86 points.
Rogers Arena crowd chants on Quinn Hughes after the hit on Olofsson
The crowd at Rogers Arena erupted with cheers in response to Hughes’s hit on Olofsson. Their excitement only grew as the video board captured Hughes making his way back to the bench with a smile on his face.
The cheers intensified as they watched a replay of the hit and another camera shot of Hughes, who couldn't contain his grin. Then amidst the resumption of play, the crowd chanted briefly "Hughes your daddy".
“You don’t see that much from me. It was a good feeling,” Hughes told reporters during the post-game interview.
“It was almost like I scored a goal or something, that was funny. It’s nice being at home and we’re [at the top of the league], the fans are into it, and it’s enjoyable. I’m definitely not a tough guy, I know my role. I don’t know if I even tried to hit him, I just tried to make sure he didn’t get by me.”
The Vancouver Canucks next face the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday at Rogers Arena.
