Ilya Kovalchuk loses temper, cross-checks, punches opponents

Check this out as Ilya Kovalchuk shows off some crazy hand-eye coordination.

We’ve seen plenty of gorgeous highlight-reel moves from Ilya Kovalchuk throughout his career in the NHL and overseas in the KHL.

But fighting? Save for a few scuffles in his NHL days, including a 2012 bout against Brayden Schenn, that’s a pretty rare sight.

An incident during Russia’s Channel One Cup game against Sweden on Thursday brought out the talented forward’s tough side. He completely loses his temper shortly after a face-off, dealing a big cross-check and throwing a few punches.

It’s unclear what, exactly, causes the outburst. Watch for yourself here:

Sweden went on to defeat Russia 4-1.

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