Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak got into a heated fight in Game 2 of the second-round series between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins on Wednesday. The situation escalated during the third period as both players traded heavy blows at center ice.
Consequently, Tkachuk was able to bring David Pastrnak down with a good right-hand strike.
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Both players were assessed a five-minute major for fighting.
A total of nine players were given a 10-minute penalty during the game. Moreover, both teams accumulated 23 penalties each, resulting in a whopping 148 penalty minutes.
The Florida Panthers clawed their way back into the series after taking down the Boston Bruins 6-1. The series is now tied at 1-1, with Game 3 returning to TD Garden on Friday.
David Pastrnak on his bout with Matthew Tkachuk
In the post-game media interactions, David Pastrnak spoke about his altercation with Matthew Tkachuk.
"I’m not afraid of him. I can take a punch, and I’d do anything for these guys here,” he said.
Pastrnak emphasized the necessity of sticking together as a team, focusing on getting better and preparing for what lies ahead.
"I mean, it's a clean slate, unfortunately. We definitely have to stick together tomorrow, get better, and get ready to get treated. And we will be," Pastrnak added.
Aleksander Barkov and San Reinhart picked up four points apiece, while Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad accumulated three points each in the win for the Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky made 14 saves.
For the Boston Bruins, Charlie Coyle was the only scorer, while captain Brad Marchand provided an assist.
Jeremy Swayman conceded four goals on 23 shots, and Linus Ullmark finished the contest with eight saves on 10 attempts for the Bruins on the night.