The Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj delivers a message after beating up Zack Kassian

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One of the low points for the Canadiens last season was the 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Bell Center in January.

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With the Oilers leading 5-1 late in the second period, Zack Kassian rolled goalie Samuel Montembeault behind the Canadiens net. There was no reaction from the five other Canadian players on the ice — Jeff Petry, Brett Kulak, Ryan Poehling, Mike Hoffman and Laurent Dauphin — as Kassian went to the penalty box to rough out.

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“Looking back, I didn’t see the actual (goal) score,” Petry said after the game. “I just saw Monty go down. It’s not a place for me to go and fight a guy like that. But I think if I look back and reconsider, you should at least look him in the face and talk to him. I think that’s down to me and the other guys on the ice too, you know – stand up for our teammates.”

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Michael Pezzetta dropped his gloves on Kassian during the third period of that game, but the Canadiens forward was hit and landed in the Oilers’ net on the ice, where Kassian hit him with left punches.

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The Canadians lost their next two games – 3-6 to the Columbus Blue Jackets and 7-1 to the New Jersey Devils – before head coach Dominique Ducharme was fired. The Canadiens had an 8-30-7 record at the time.

The Canadians improved after Martin St. Louis took over, going 14-19-4 with him behind the bench, but they still finished with the worst record in the NHL. As a team, the Canadians could still be intimidated. There was a game in New Jersey towards the end of the season where the Devils took aim at Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield and it was Chris Wideman – all 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds of him – who came to their defense.

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Kassian was back at Bell Center Thursday night as a member of the Arizona Coyotes. Early in the first half, he ran at Canada defender Jordan Harris, who managed to turn away from Kassian, and the Coyotes forward took the worst of the collision.

Later in the first period, the 6-foot-4, 238-pound Arber Xhekaj dropped the gloves with Kassian, who is 6-foot-3, 211-pounds.

It was a heavyweight fight. According to hockeyfights.com, it was Kassian’s 38th career NHL fight. It was Xhekaj’s first NHL fight and he beat Kassian, who ended up ragged with his sweater pulled over his head.

During his first five games with the Canadiens, Xhekaj has proven he can play in the NHL and isn’t just a tough guy, averaging 15:07 ice time while recording an assist and a plus/minus difference -1 sets up . But he also showed that Canadians are no longer pushed and intimidated by players like Kassian. Video of Xhekaj’s loss to Kassian is sure to make the rounds for other NHL teams.

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Head coach Martin St. Louis has spoken to Xhekaj and told him he doesn’t have to fight to stay in the NHL and that he has to pick his spots if he drops the gloves.

“He’s a hockey player, but he brings toughness,” St. Louis said after the game. “He’s able to fight… it’s part of the game.

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“I feel like we’ve adopted a pack mentality,” St. Louis added of his team. “I think we care about each other and I know we have people who can address things when they need to be addressed. But it’s a pack mentality and I like that as a group.”

Early in the second period, the Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky carried the puck into the offensive zone when Coyotes defenseman Josh Brown hit a high, hard shot at the #1 draft pick at the blue line. After the puck went into the corner, Xhekaj left his position and ran hard after Brown, pounding him into the tie. The hit created a loose puck and Slafkovsky scored his first NHL goal.

Xhekaj recorded a 17:40 ice time throughout the game and had real impact with three shots and three hits, while Kassian had a team low with a 9:52 ice time.

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“I’m just looking at what I can do with the big boys,” Xhekaj said of his fight with Kassian. “I was in OHL last year and these guys are not that old, don’t have much experience (fights). But seeing how I can handle it and it was going pretty well so it was good.

“Our coaches said if someone challenges you, just keep calm,” Xhekaj added. “Do it on your terms. It was in my head: I can’t lose this fight.”

He won it easily.

“I’m trying to make a name for myself here and to show that I’m going to be committed to my team and that I’m strong and they might think twice about running our boys,” said Xhekaj.

That message was sent loud and clear.

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