The fight came towards the end of the period with the game scoreless. AT that point in the game things hadn't gotten so heated, but the Hurricanes dominated the gameplay, slowly increasing tensions throughout the period. By the time the fight happened, the Islanders hadn't even recorded a single shot on goal yet.
Neither player really cemented themselves as a clear winner in the fight, but both landed solid blows on their opponents. The reaction from the fans was largely positive, even from fans that had no stake in the contest.