With the Lightning leading by two with less than three minutes remaining in the third period, DeAngelo approached a scrum in front of the Flyers net.
Tony DeAngelo during the NHL Hockey match between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers on March 7, 2023 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. (Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MINNESOTA WILD PLAYERS OPT OUT OF WEARING PRIDE-THEMED JERSEYS DURING WARMUPS
He then took his stick and speared Perry, seemingly in the groin, prompting Perry to fall over.
The cheap shot brought all the Tampa Bay players on the ice to go after DeAngelo, but the fight was quickly broken up by officials.
"He tried to slash my stick out of my hands a second beforehand. He talks all game," DeAngelo said after the game, via ESPN.
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo, #77, looks to make a pass during the NHL Hockey match between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers on March 7, 2023 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. (Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"I asked him to fight, he doesn't want to fight. He'll tell you he's asked me to fight for years. I don't say no. But wasn't trying to give him a shot [where it landed]. Replay probably looks worse."
Flyers head coach John Tortorella said he did not see exactly what happened but believed that DeAngelo "may have crossed the line."
"That's the line you walk, as far as going over the edge," he said. "I want him to have his personality, to have that competitiveness. A couple of guys I did sit, I wish a little of that would rub off on them. But again, I haven't seen it, but I think he may have crossed the line."
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo, #77, and Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel, #38, during the NHL Hockey match between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers on March 7, 2023 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. (Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DeAngelo is no stranger to controversy.
After several issues during his tenure with the New York Rangers, he was placed on waivers in January 2021 after reports that he got into a physical altercation with backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev.
The Lightning snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Flyers.