NHL Player Rocks Opponent With A Single Punch

Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic handed out some instant karma Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Hockey is a unique sport in the sense players often police themselves. Unlike the NFL or NBA, fighting isn't just normal, it's often encouraged.

If a player does something stupid or dirty, you can anticipate retribution. That's a lesson Blue Jackets forward Lane Johnson learned firsthand and in the toughest of ways.

After throwing a cross-check against Patrice Bergeron, fans knew something was coming during the 2-1 Boston win.

What was coming was a one-hitter quitter from Frederic to the face of Pederson. The two squared up, and it was over before it was even on.

Watch the incredible punch from Trent Frederic below.

Lane Pederson played a stupid game and won a stupid prize courtesy of Trent Frederic.

As mentioned above, if you do something stupid on the ice, you better be ready to back it up. That's the nature of the beast. Whether it's juniors, the AHL or the NHL, people are never afraid to dish out some instant karma. Pederson wanted to play the role of a tough guy by throwing a cheap shot on Patrice Bergeron.

Well, there's a price to pay, my friend. You want to throw a cross-check? Fine. Get your mitts up because there's a right bomb coming your way.

To be clear, Pederson should have absolutely dodged this punch from Trent Frederic. He telegraphed that punch the whole way, and Lane Pederson still let it catch him on the jaw. Attempt to make some kind of move.

Trent Frederic drops Lane Pederson with a single punch. A cross-check against Patrice Bergeron caused the situation to boil over. (Credit: Screenshot/Twitter Video https://twitter.com/HockeyDaily365/status/1641600065549611008)

Next time, Pederson will think twice before throwing a stupid cheap shot. Trent Frederic definitely taught him a lesson he won't forget soon.