The stitches under Nick Cousins’ left eye on Monday at practice were the battle scars he wore after settling a score on the weekend.

The Montreal Canadiens were bound and determined to make sure the gritty Ottawa Senators winger paid the price on Saturday night for the slash to Ivan Demidov’s wrist in an exhibition game a month ago.

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The 32-year-old Cousins was aware that he would have to drop the gloves at some point in the club’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Habs at the Bell Centre, as the Habs had stated publicly that this would be the case.

That’s why it wasn’t a shock to see Cousins fight Montreal’s Jayden Struble in the third period. Cousins took a couple of hard punches and didn’t return to the game, but he told reporters after a lengthy skate on Monday that he’ll

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