Reaves responds to Thornton's jab with chirps about his age

Joe Thornton may have started a war of words with his playful jabs at the expense of Vegas Golden Knights enforcer Ryan Reaves on Sunday night.

Reaves responded Monday by taking a shot at the 39-year-old Thornton over his impending hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety over his hit to the head of Vegas winger Tomas Nosek during Game 3 and his insistence that he "barely touched him."

"I've got a buddy with a grandpa going through the same thing," Reaves said, according to Justin Emerson of the Las Vegas Sun. "He can't see very well because he's getting old. Needs glasses. If he gets suspended he's going to have a hard time seeing from the press box."

With three hard-fought games in the books already, it appears this series just gained another level of intrigue. The two teams meet Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET with Vegas holding a 2-1 lead.