Matthew Tkachuk’s wallet will be a little bit lighter when he travels to Boston.
NHL Public Relations on Monday announced Tkachuk was fined $5,000 — the maximum allowable under the league’s current collective bargaining agreement — for cross-checking Garnet Hathaway on Sunday in Game 4 of the Bruins-Panthers first-round Stanley Cup playoff series. Tkachuk received a minor penalty for his end-of-period shot on Hathaway, who laid on the ice for a few minutes before working his way to Boston’s dressing room for the first intermission.
Hathaway, keeping with the Bruins’ theme of staying composed and not giving in to the Panthers, effectively brushed off Tkachuk’s harsh check after Boston’s 6-2 win at FLA Live Arena. The hard-nosed forward wrote it off as “part of the game,” but he did note that he plans to add more padding to his back area going forward.
The cross-check on Hathaway wasn’t the only noteworthy physical sequence Tkachuk was involved in Sunday. The Panthers assistant captain nearly scrapped with Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark, who was ready to go after dropping his gloves and removing his helmet in the final minutes of the contest.
Given Tkachuk’s Game 4 antics, the 25-year-old might have some added physicality coming his way Wednesday night when Boston and Florida meet for Game 5 at TD Garden.
