Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman Wants Piece Of Matthew Tkachuk In Game 4.
The Boston Bruins don’t fear the Florida Panthers despite playing catch-up in their second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series entering Sunday’s Game 4.
Boston made this abundantly known when the series began in Florida and a total of five Bruins players were ejected in the third period, and both teams combined for 158 penalty minutes in Game 2. Enduring a lopsided 6-1 defeat on the road didn’t prevent Boston from trying to even up the score with its fists, and while defending home ice in search of a 2-2 series, those same tensions made their way from Amerant Bank Arena to TD Garden.
Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman challenged Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk to a first-period skirmish — just minutes after Boston’s Pat Maroon welcomed everyone sporting a Panthers uniform, including Tkachuk, to drop the gloves. Nobody accepted Maroon’s offer, however, Tkachuk exchanged a few words with Swayman, who approached the 26-year-old, before skating away.
Swayman swiped his stick at Tkachuk, instigating the encounter and letting it be known that even Boston’s goaltender was prepared to throw down
