SUNRISE — Matthew Tkachuk leaned over the sideboards from the Florida Panthers bench and asked Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak to fight, the way you might ask a schoolmate to come out and play.
Pastrnak turned to his coach for permission, because there’s a protocol for the team’s top scorer to follow. He then nodded back to Tkachuk.
Tkachuk dropping Pastrnak was on the talk marquee.
Their fight highlighted a game that devolved into dropped gloves, was Exhibit A in how this fierce rivalry is lit entering Friday’s Game 3 in Boston and was something you can watch “over and over and over again,’’ as Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.
Easy for him to say. Pastrnak can tell everyone how Tkachuk’s right fist tastes after their center-ice showdown.
“I think it’s a good thing,’’ Maurice said. “You have two elite offensive players. (Tkachuk) is a 100-point guy all day long. Pastrnak’s just this brilliant player. It’s the playoffs. They each have their team. They got their brothers in their room. It’s a little spicy out there. I think it’s awesome.”
He then added, “Sorry if that offends you, but I think it’s awesome.”
What all this awesomeness means to Game 3 and the larger series is harder to nail down. First, the fight. The question for Pastrnak afterward was how Tkachuk’s right fist tastes. It was that one-sided, just as expected considering Pastrnak had one previous NHL fight back in 2018 and Tkachuk considers one fight a good shift.
But the hockey code that was the river running through Game 2’s final minutes of fisticuffs meant both sides applauded their guy. Pastrnak went out and represented his team in a way that drew respect.
“Yeah, definitely for the team,’’ Pastrnak said. “(Tkachuk) was asking me so I felt like (I needed to) step up. The game was over, 6-1, so give it a go. He got what he wanted, and we’re off to Game 3.”
The Panthers, like Boston, have no problem going down in the gutter, if that’s what a night asks. Game 2 asked it, too. Down 5-1, Boston turned to pushing, shoving, mauling in a way the Panthers understand. Nine players were ejected in 17 third-period penalties. It was something out of the ’70s. The 158 combined penalty minutes were the most in a Panthers playoff game and most for Boston since 1988.
Brandon Montour scored the final goal, was grabbed by Boston captain Brad Marchand and gave a loud, “Woooo!” in Marchand’s face. They fought. The Panthers’ Niko Mikkola bodyslammed Boston’s Charlie McAvoy to the ice. The Panthers’ Dmitri Kulikov threw Boston’s Justin Brazeau down on the goal netting.
Maybe a ringside judge needs to speak up, but the Panthers seemed to have their way in the fights that went beyond grabbing and pushing. None looked worse than Tkachuk vs. Pastrnak.
Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe moves the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk moves the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky grabs a loose puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans cheer as the Florida Panthers take on the Boston Bruins during the first period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov passes the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky defends the net against the Boston Bruins during the first period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov scores a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov reacts after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Steven Lorentz scores a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Steven Lorentz celebrates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Steven Lorentz celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Steven Lorentz celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fans cheer as the Florida Panthers score against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov fights for possession of the puck against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk and center Carter Verhaeghe react after a goal by defenseman Gustav Forsling against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling celebrates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice gestures during the second period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Boston Bruins d at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour scores a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour celebrates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A fight breaks out after the Florida Panthers score a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period of the Panthers' 6-1 win in Game 2. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A fight breaks out after the Florida Panthers score a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period of Game 2 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
“Stick and move,” might be a lesson for Pastrnak the next time Tkachuk comes calling. (Tkachuk was not available to the media afterward in the manner all Boston players were).
“I’m not afraid of him, to be honest,’’ Pastrnak said. “I can take a punch, and I’d do anything for these guys here.”
And what does it all mean to the series? Nothing more than the playoff intensity is on high now. Boston didn’t lose because it fought. It fought because it lost.
The fights were a statement of hockey code and sending messages. Nothing more. And carryover emotions in the series?
“It doesn’t have emotions — everything stops, the emotion stops,” said Marchand, one of the league’s best instigators who, like Tkachuk is also a complete player. “Being upset about it all stops. It’s just about getting back to X’s and O’s, finding out where we can get better.
“You know the emotion will create itself throughout the game. No trying to force it, it’ll happen naturally.”
The Panthers won Game 2 because Aleksander Barkov had two goals, two assists, a team-high nine hits, won 8 of 11 face-offs and dominated as best any single player can. They won because their fourth line rode over Boston’s lower lines. Steven Lorentz tipping in a shot to tie the game, 1-1, and they wore out Boston’s fourth line to the point Barkov came on and scored his first goal on a reboun to make it 2-1.
The Panthers won because their defense held strong to the point goalie Sergei Bobrovsky faced just 15 shots. The Panthers had 35 shots and sent Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman to the bench in the midst of his stellar playoff run.
You understand why Maurice said of the headlined fight, “It was awesome?”
It capped a night of awesome for the Panthers. Boston got the split it wanted in these opening games. But the Panthers were back to playing like the Panthers after an uncharacteristic Game 1. Now the series goes to Boston and the only question again is who’s looks awesome with the gloves on.
