Arber Xhekaj Watches Florian’s Fight From Penalty Box© AFP
Arber Xhekaj was serving a two-minute roughing penalty when he got a chance to watch his younger brother Florian fight in Toronto. The Canadiens had split their squad for two preseason games against the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, while Arber’s game was going on in Montreal. During the other game, Florian got into a fight with Leafs defenseman Marshall Rifai. A Canadiens staff member showed Arber the fight on a phone during a break. Sportsnet cameras caught the moment. Arber watched the fight with a smile before handing the phone back.
Arber Xhekaj Gets A Look At Florian’s Fight From Penalty Box
The moment was caught by Sportsnet cameras during the third period. He was spotted watching his brother Florian’s fight in Toronto on the Canadiens staff member’s phone, while sitting in the penalty box at the Bell Centre tonight.
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“There was a little bit of time in between the whistles so the guy kind of just pulled his phone out and showed me the fight,” Arber said after Montreal’s 4-3 overtime win. “And it was a sick fight. It’s good for him.”
Florian had earlier taken a run at Leafs star William Nylander, who received a slashing penalty after the play. Rifai then challenged Florian near centre ice. The fight lasted more than 30 seconds and got a loud reaction from the crowd in Toronto.
“He was running around barking at the big boys; someone needed to step up,” Rifai told The Athletic after the fight.
Sportsnet commentator Craig Simpson also noticed the moment during the replay and said, “That’s got to be a fine.”
Florian Xhekaj Is Trying To Earn A Full-Time Spot
The fight came during an important preseason for Florian, who is trying to stay with Montreal for the full season. The 2023 fourth-round pick played five NHL games last season and spent most of the year with the Laval Rocket.
Florian led Laval with 182 penalty minutes in 64 games. Arber, meanwhile, spent the entire 2025-26 season with Montreal and led the Canadiens with 116 penalty minutes.
Montreal won both games against Toronto on Saturday. The Canadiens won 4-1 in Toronto, while the other group beat the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime at the Bell Centre.
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