Lightning’s Brayden Point has staredown, slugfest against Stars

Brayden Point isn’t known for swinging fists, but the Lightning star center didn’t hesitate to drop his gloves after taking an elbow to the head in the third period of Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over the Dallas Stars.

Point didn’t take kindly to Dallas center Andrew Cogliano’s hit against the boards. As Cogliano skated into the corner to battle for the puck, he raised his left elbow and hit Point in the head.

It didn’t take long for Point to fight back, checking Cogliano and then holding him against the boards. Point then gave Cogliano a death stare that squarely told his intentions before dropping his gloves.

Cogliano got in a right-handed jab, but Point delivered several right-handed body blows before taking Cogliano to the ground.

“One of the most talented players in the league sticking up for himself like that, it’s great to see,” Lightning forward Blake Coleman said. “He’s the total package. I like him chucking those bombs.”

“He’s one of the best players on our team and in the league for a reason. He’s fearless, and it’s good for him, obviously, to do that, but I think we’d like him to score more goals than throw punches.”

Cogliano didn’t get penalized for his elbow to Point’s head. Actually, Point was handed an extra penalty for slashing as both players served five-minute fighting majors.

“If the ref had made the penalty call (for) the hit to the head, Pointer wouldn’t have to do that,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I think there were a number of guys that were going to go in there. He’s just, that’s the fight in Pointer. I’ve seen him do that before.

“He’s a gamer, and he’s a competitor, and when you do something that’s outside of the rules of the game, which Cogs did to him, he got pissed,” Cooper added. “I don’t know, I like those guys that stick up for their teammates, and I like when guys stick up for themselves, and Pointer does both.”

Contact Eduardo A. Encina at eencina@tampabay.com. Follow @EddieInTheYard.

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