Phil Kessel and Jay Beagle got into a bit of a spat on Wednesday, resulting in an unexpected Mario Kart challenge from the latter.
The beef started when Beagle said the Capitals should play “nasty,” and continue to hit the Penguins “hard.” Kessel, thinking Beagle was specifically talking about the recent Matt Niskanen hit in game three that led to a concussion for Sidney Crosby, responded by calling Beagle “an idiot.”
@PKessel81 on Jay Beagle. #Penguins pic.twitter.com/SCAtpe5cKE
— Chase Williams (@chasepwilliams) May 3, 2017
Now, Beagle could have taken the comments to heart, calling out Kessel himself for misinterpreting what he said, but instead, he offered a reasonable challenge to Kessel: Beat me at Mario Kart.
Beagle on Kessel comment: "I'm hurt deeply. If he wants to settle it, we could always play some Mario Cart. He knows where to find me."
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) May 3, 2017
Admittedly, I’d love to see Kessel and Beagle square off on Rainbow Road. Kessel is once of the fastest, most skilled skaters in the league, but on the Mario Kart track, it’s a totally different game. Kessel’s 250 goal advantage on Beagle doesn’t factor in here, which is why I’m fairly certain Beagle challenged Kessel to a video game and not a real life competition.
Who would the two pick? I’m not sure about Beagle. But considering he’s a depth forward who presents occasional usefulness, I’m going to say his choice is Luigi. As for Kessel, he’s got to be Shy Guy, as he’s not the most social guy and likes to remain out of the spotlight despite his immense skill.
Considering the bad blood between the two teams, I doubt the match ever happens. Although if the two can work things out (a big ask) and stream the match to raise money for charity, it would be a lot of fun for a good cause. Plus, Mario Kart 8 just came out on the Nintendo Switch, so the timing is perfect!
