“I need to be smarter.”

“I need to be smarter.”

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Monday against the Bruins, Tom Wilson fought for the first time this season. The 6-foot-4 Wilson throws hands with 6-foot-2 stirrer Trent Frederic, who had 148 PIMs with the AHL Providence Bruins last season.

At the time, the Capitals were 3-2 ahead, with 11:11 in the third period. The Capitals would lose the game 5-3.

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Wilson and Frederic immediately put their gloves down to a neutral zone and leveled in the middle ice. Both teams stood up on their benches. Wilson and Frederic exchanged big blows that missed the point before the Bruins forward made a wild turn and fell over.

“The opportunity presented itself,” Frederic said, “and it worked out great.”

The fight took Wilson, who is one of the most important and versatile forwards of the Capitals, during the pinch of ice against one of the leading teams in the MassMutual East. Frederic is a sixth player from the Bruins. Boston immediately benefited.

A few minutes into Wilson and Frederic’s big penalty kicks, Jeremy Lauzon finds Craig Smith wide open for a one-time left-back player. That game.

Both players remained in the box when Brandon Carlo buried a shot past Vitek Vanecek to give the Bruins the lead late in the third period.

“In the box, I was like a little kid in there, and just jumped around when we passed,” Frederic said. “Felt good looking at it.”

Brad Marchand would add an empty goal kick, which would give the Browns five unanswered goals. The loss would be the first time in Capitals this season.

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy attributed to Frederic that he changed the momentum in the game.

“I think Freddy had a lot to do with the waste with Wilson,” Cassidy said. ‘It got pretty much everyone’s attention on the couch. He’s probably the toughest guy in the National Hockey League. And Freddy stands in there and gives us a little boost. I do not know what it does to their team, but I know it gave us a boost. ā€

“Incredible work by him,” David Pastrnak added. “He had a great fight and gave a lot of energy to our bench. It was amazing. He is a great forward and he did a lot for the win today. ā€

After the match, Peter Laviolette chose his words carefully, but was clearly not happy with Wilson’s decision.

“It’s getting nice out there,” Laviolette said. ‘You play a team that you compete in your division on back-to-back (s). I think guys get a little under each other’s skin. It took a better part of two games. ā€

Frederic tried to fight Wilson on Saturday, but Wilson succeeded.

“I just think Tom is an important piece for our team,” Laviolette said. ā€œI appreciate his toughness and physicality. But we also appreciate him on the ice. It’s hard. Emotions run high out there. ā€

Former pugilis Alan May, on NBC Sports, said in the Washington post that he was skeptical that the fight would give the Bruins momentum, but Wilson’s biggest sin was not being on the ice during ‘the most critical time of the game ‘not.

Wilson said Tuesday after practice that he feels the momentum is shifting and thinks the fight can help. Eventually, he regrets the decision when he sees the Browns draw and take the lead.

“Back in my head I think it can create energy,” Wilson said. “Looking back, it’s a one-goal match. I want to be on the ice for those minutes. I would like to help the team with energy on the ice, hitting and skating, and not necessarily sitting in the box.

“I think it was a bit of a waste,” Wilson concluded. “It was a short fight. They went out and scored some goals. I think I need to be smarter. This is probably something he wanted to do. ā€

NESN licensed screenshot

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