The Boston Bruins took Game 1 of their matchup with the Florida Panthers in emphatic fashion. In Game 2, it was the opposite story told. Florida stormed back to win Game 2 6-1 on Wednesday night. But what has fans talking is not the final score. Rather, fans are buzzing about the fight between Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak.
The third period of Game 2 was an intense affair. Florida and Boston combined for 17 penalties in the final frame. Furthermore, the Panthers and Bruins each lost six players before time expired. Among the players ejected were Pastrnak and Tkachuk, who dropped the gloves mid-play to the delight of the live audience.
Matthew Tkachuk is certainly no stranger to mixing it up. However, David Pastrnak is a bit of a different story. The Bruins star is one of his team's primary offensive producers. But he rarely sees time in the box. In fact, he had less than 50 penalty minutes during the 2023-24 regular season, and those 47 penalty minutes represent his career high for a single season.
Fans react to intense Panthers-Bruins game
Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak certainly weren't the only ones to mix it up in Game 2. Both Florida and Boston took it to the other during the final frame. And fans could not contain themselves on social media as the action on the ice unfolded in real-time. Some had fun with the festivities taking place.
Other fans took the opportunity to talk a bit of smack. For instance, one fan focused in on the doubts around the Panthers after their loss in the first game. “You hear that? That’s the sound of everybody who talked smack about these Florida Panthers after game one shutting the f**k up,” they wrote on social media.
One reporter posted a complete breakdown of the penalties taken in the third period. The Bruins took 10 total penalties against the Panthers. Meanwhile, Florida took seven penalties in the final frame of Game 2. The reporter stated the obvious in their post.
Finally, one Bruins fan took aim at Matthew Tkachuk for choosing David Pastrnak as his opponent in the third period. “BTW thats when Tkachuk will mix it up. When hes guaranteed the advantage. He runs from everyone else,” they wrote in their social media post on Wednesday night.
Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers get last laugh
The Panthers and Matthew Tkachuk came away with the all important Game 2 win. And the game got out of hand rather quickly, especially in the third period. The Bruins scored the first goal of the game thanks to Charlie Coyle. However, they allowed three goals each in the second and third to come away with the loss.
Tkachuk did not record a point in Game 2. However, the Panthers received big-time performances from some of their best players. Aleksander Barkov scored two goals and four points against the Bruins. Sam Reinhart also turned in a four-point performance on Wednesday night. Defenseman Brandon Montour added a goal and three points of his own to Florida's offensive effort.
The Panthers enter Game 3 with momentum and a bit of recent history on their side. Florida has won each of the last three playoff games they've played in Boston. All of those wins came in last season's first-round matchup against the Bruins. It'll certainly be interesting to see if Matthew Tkachuk and his team can continue their winning ways in Boston against David Pastrnak and the Bruins on Friday.
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