On Wednesday night, a surprising altercation took place during Game 2 between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers. David Pastrnak of the Bruins engaged in a fight with Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers, showcasing his fearlessness on the ice.

Despite the Panthers dominating the game, Pastrnak took it upon himself to stand up and send a message to Tkachuk. In a third-period scuffle, Tkachuk landed a couple of right-hand punches before Pastrnak fell to the ice. However, Pastrnak made it clear that he is not one to back down, stating, ‘I’m not afraid of him… I can take a punch.’

Interestingly, the fight seemed to have been brewing throughout the period, with the two players exchanging words at center ice before deciding to drop their gloves on their next shift. Pastrnak even received approval from his coach, Jim Montgomery, before engaging in the fight.

Montgomery expressed his pride in Pastrnak’s display of competitiveness, stating, ‘I’m proud of Pasta. There are so many players pushing after the whistle when the linesmen are there. Pasta and Tkachuk just went out and fought. You like your hockey players to be competitors.’

Notably, Tkachuk’s father, Keith Tkachuk, a former NHL tough guy, was seen in the crowd giving a thumbs up and applauding his son’s efforts during the fight. Panthers coach Paul Maurice also commended the intensity of the altercation, describing it as ‘awesome.’

As the series progresses, the tension between the Bruins and the Panthers seems to be escalating. It remains to be seen if the animosity will carry over into Game 3 when the teams face off in Boston. The rivalry between the two teams is undoubtedly heating up, setting the stage for an intense playoff battle.