2023-06-06 03:43:49
For the second straight game in the Stanley Cup Final, Matthew Tkachuk stood out for the wrong reasons Monday night, picking up a total of 22 penalty minutes in the Panthers’ 7-2 loss Florida at the hands of the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
First, the star forward hit Jack Eichel hard as he tried to break out with 2:04 left in the second period.
Tkachuk charged at Eichel, who seemed to lose his balance before contact when he saw his opponent rushing at him, to knock him down hard on the ice. Eichel immediately got up and seemed in pain as he quickly left for the locker room.
“No matter who you are, don’t walk across the middle of the ice with your head down or you’ll get hit,” Tkachuk said in the locker room following the game.
On the sequence, Tkachuk received a roughing penalty, in addition to a 10-minute misconduct.
After the match, Eichel admitted he was in a vulnerable position and did not seek to accuse Tkachuk.
“I didn’t see him until the last minute. It’s a legal check, it was a big collision, admitted Eichel on TNT following the match. When that happens, you have to get up and keep playing. I give credit to my teammates for defending me. »
“He got hit hard,” Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy said. I asked him between periods if he was ok and he said yes. It’s part of hockey in June to get hit. Sometimes you have to hurt to win and it’s never easy. »
Luckily for the Knights, Eichel was back on the bench for the start of the 3rd period. The number 9 was quickly illustrated by preparing the second goal of the evening from Jonathan Marchessault following 2:10 of the third period.
“It was a good check. It’s hockey. It was great news to see him back. It gave us some juice, and sometimes it can take energy away from the other team,” Cassidy said.
Tkachuk also put his signature on the scoresheet in the 3rd period by scoring his first goal of the series with just over seven minutes remaining in the game to close the gap to 6-2.
Then, moments later, Tkachuk was given another 10-minute misconduct penalty. He first took the stick out of Michael Amadio’s hands in a scrimmage, before directing a plastic rat that had been thrown across the rink towards the Golden Knights bench.
“We have to prepare well for the next game and get some momentum on our side,” said Tkachuk in the locker room following the game.
“It’s a similar team to Boston, but it’s not as heavy. They have several players who like to counter-attack. At this level, they are similar to Toronto. We were able to contain Toronto. We hope to be able to do the same to them from now on. »
In the first game, Tkachuk was also punished following hitting Nicolas Hague during a scrimmage. He then received a double minor penalty for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
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