Boston Bruins fourth-line winger Garnet Hathaway couldn't have expected the cross-check that came from Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk after time expired in the first period of Game 4 on Sunday.
Hathaway finished a play behind Florida's net as the siren sounded and with his back turned, Tkachuk came in and delivered a cross-check that sent the defenseless Hathaway down in a heap. Hathaway stayed on the ice for a little bit of time before gingerly skating off.
The hit, which earned Tkachuk a minor penalty and allowed the Bruins to score a power-play goal, didn't knock Hathaway out of the game, but he sure took note of it. And he even though he didn't directly call out Tkachuk following Boston's 6-2 victory at FLA Live Arena, Hathaway believes Tkachuk knew exactly what he was doing in that situation.
"It was a cross-check to the back," Hathaway told reporters, as seen on NESN postgame coverage. "Most guys who play don't have a ton of padding back there. Vulnerable spot. So, I'm going to be adding a lot more padding to my gear."
In the immediate aftermath of the cross-check with Tkachuk still on top of him as Hathaway laid in pain on the ice, the veteran forward also seemed to get a stick from Panthers forward Sam Bennett in a delicate area.
"It's pretty tough to see who it is, but there's video. So, I'll be able to see it," Hathaway said. "There's stuff that happens that I'll be able to watch it. It's just part of the game I guess."
Despite the poking and prodding from the Panthers, Hathaway, like the rest of the Bruins, kept his composure to be a contributing factor in the win. Hathaway brought a physical presence for the Bruins by doling out a game-high eight hits in 9:47 of ice time and added an assist on Taylor Hall's empty-net goal.
It's clear Hathaway took some numbers for the hits he took, but whether or not he seeks retribution with the Bruins having a chance to close out the series on home ice, won't be answered until Game 5 on Wednesday.
