"I kinda not ready (for the punch)," Kulemin told AM640. "I don't think about fight."

"[Gleason] started punching Grabo and he just drop right away and punch me. I don't have time to drop my gloves. I'll be ready next time."

Teammates were "disgusted" by the “cheap shot” from Gleason. “I don’t know if he’s smart enough—probably not—but he should know that Kulemin’s not a fighter," said Clarke MacArthur following the game. "I think Kulie just went in there to stick up for teammates and Gleason obviously isn’t that smart. Kulie didn’t drop his gloves and he gets suckered like that."

“Yeah he's right,” said Kulemin, when told of MacArthur’s comments. “I don't want to fight. I want to score to help my team to win.”

Fortunately for the Leafs, Kulemin’s nose was not broken in the melee and the ever-improving Russian even believed he’d suit up against the Lightning.

"It feels better,” he said. “I think I can play today."