Lightning's Brian Boyle calls Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader a chicken

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brian Boyle was not pleased with Detroit's Justin Abdelkader after the Red Wings forward was unwilling to fight him during the Red Wings' Game 3 win over the Lightning.

Who doesn’t like a good chicken? Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brian Boyle, that’s who.

After a brief skirmish with Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader, Boyle started flapping his arms like a chicken when his Red Wing adversary seemed unwilling to engage in an old fashioned exchange of fisticuffs. In Abdelkader’s defense, the Red Wing was playing with an injured hand, which appear to be covered with tape. NHL rules prohibit players with tape-covered hands from engaging in fights. Had Abdelkader dropped the gloves with Boyle, he would’ve been subject to a one-game suspension.

Brian Boyle wasn’t thrilled Justin Abdelkader wouldn’t fight him pic.twitter.com/Xh3VejWXL3

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 18, 2016

Abdelkader opted out because his hand hurt pic.twitter.com/iTzIPjWtOB

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 18, 2016

But all is fair in love and war...or a surprisingly nasty series where two teams normally known more for finesse than fists have been at each other’s throats through three games.

The Red Wings won a Game 3 they desperately needed, 2–0, to cut the Lightning's series lead to 2–1.