The score got out of hand and the players went wild.
The brawl and ensuing fight between Bruins superstar David Pastrnak and Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk leads to University of Florida’s 6-1 win over Boston, tying the second round of the NHL playoff series at 1-all. This cast a shadow over the results of this push.
The third period included 17 penalties resulting in 136 penalty minutes, bringing the combined total of both teams to 158 penalty minutes (Boston 87, Florida 71), with both teams exceeding 70 penalty minutes in the same game. This is the first time since 2015 that this has happened. According to ESPN.
According to ESPN, Boston’s 87 penalty minutes were the most since 1988.
“You’re in the game. It’s a lot of emotions. To be honest, I’m not afraid of him.” Pastrnak said.. “I’m willing to take the punches and I’ll do anything for these guys here.”
The Bruins took Game 1 of the series and led 3-1 going into the third period, but things started to fall apart for lower-seeded Boston as Florida put the game away with three goals in 12 minutes. .
The first brawl occurred shortly after Florida took a 6-1 lead, with nine players from both teams brawling near the Bruins’ goal.
Two players fell to the ground and another pair were chipped pretty close to the board. Pastrnak and Sam Reinhart also had two referees separating them against the boards.
However, less than a minute into the heavyweight showdown, Tkachuk asked Pastrnak to slow down as he retreated to the bench.
Pastrnak took off his gloves as the two came off the bench. Began throwing haymakers.
“I felt like I had to step up because it was definitely for the team and he asked me to. And the game ended 6-1, so I just left it at that.” Pastrnak said. “The game’s over, go for it. He got what he wanted.”
Both coaches praised their players’ response.
“I’m really proud of my pasta.” Montgomery said, according to ESPN.. “He just went out there and fought. You like hockey players to be competitors.”
“I thought it was great,” added Panthers coach Paul Maurice.
However, Montgomery did not approve of what he perceived to be a cheap shot.
The two fell to the ice during the scuffle, and Tkachuk delivered two blows to the exposed back of the head while falling on top of Pastrnak.
Tkachuk eventually fell to the ice and Pastrnak landed in top striking position, but the referee intervened and prevented the fatal blow.
“To me, that’s not part of the game,” Montgomery said of Tkachuk’s blow to the head, according to ESPN.
The series moves to Boston for Game 3 on Friday night, and Pastrnak is sure to get a hero’s welcome as the Panthers are booed out of the building.
