David Pastrnak-Matthew Tkachuk Fight Was Pretty Nasty

The fists flew during a 6-1 Florida Panthers victory.

The Florida Panthers got angry and got even in Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series with the Boston Bruins, leveling things up on the strength of a 6-1 home-ice laugher on Wednesday night. Aleksander Barkov scored twice and the Panthers forced Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman out of the net with a blistering barrage. The five-goal victory matched the largest in Panthers' postseason history, right when they needed it the most.

With the outcome essentially decided late in the third period, Boston's David Pastrnak and Florida's Matthew Tkachuk agreed to resolve a problem first with words and then with fists. During a stoppage in the play they made a gentlemen's accord to throw hands the next time they were on the ice together and quickly made good on such a vow.

Pasta and Tkachuk agreed to fight before going at it the next shift! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/HOVK6Spfpi

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 9, 2024

It did not go very well for Pastrnak, who lost the fight and received what could reasonably be deemed a late punch while he was on the ice. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery after the game that such a punch is "not part of the game to me."

Game 3 is Friday night back in Boston. Control of the series will be on the line and these two fighters will have another opportunity to settle the score. Or even the score. Or heck, just fight because they like to fight with no larger purpose to it at all.