Wild’s Marcus Foligno asks linesmen to break up fight as he bloodies Sharks’ Nikolai Knyzhov

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Fighting is piece of the NHL, but so, too, is sportsmanship.

In the course of the first length of Monday night’s Minnesota-San Jose game, Wild ahead Marcus Foligno and Sharks defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov obtained into a fight.

It was the first fight for Knyzhov, who was playing in his 20th NHL game. It was the 45th career NHL fight for Foligno since he entered the league in 2011-12.

It was a mismatch as Foligno tied up Knyzhnov and landed a number of enormous supreme-handed punches, decreasing the defenseman’s face.

Nevertheless Foligno, realizing his opponent was bloodied, called for the linesmen to break up the fight. Knyzhnov tried to get in a punch, Foligno gestured again and the linesmen stepped in.

Foligno then recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight) by supreme past the midpoint of the game as he drew the secondary assist on an Ian Cole goal at 3: 36 of the 2d length no longer long after he finished serving his fighting penalty.

He then scored at 10: 48 on a shot that deflected off Nicolas Meloche’s stick and floated past goalie Martin Jones for a 4-1 lead.

It was the third Gordie Howe hat trick of Foligno’s career.