Jim Montgomery admired the competitiveness shown by David Pastrnak and Matthew Tkachuk on Wednesday night at Amerant Bank Arena.
However, the Bruins head coach believes one of those combatants didn't go about their third-period throwdown entirely the right way.
Tkachuk persuaded Pastrnak, a rare fighter, to take off the gloves with Game 2 well out of hand over halfway through the final frame. The Panthers alternate captain managed to bring the Bruins star down to the ice, which typically signals the end of a bout. But Tkachuk didn't stop there, as he snuck one last big hook onto Pastrnak while the latter was effectively defenseless.
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The extra jab didn't sit well with Montgomery, who called it "not part of the game," per 98.5 The Sports Hub's Ty Anderson.
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The added punch clearly irked Pastrnak in the moment, as the four-time All-Star was looking to land a few more himself while the referees separated the pair. But Pastrnak cooled off by the time the dust settled on the Bruins' 6-1 loss, simply explaining he fought Tkachuk as a means of stepping up for his team.
The best-of-seven series, tied at one game apiece, now shifts to Boston, where Bruins fans will be eager to give Tkachuk an earful Friday evening. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Featured image via Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports Images
