In the first period on Tuesday night, Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic dropped his gloves and prepared to trade blows with Florida Panthers standout Matthew Tkachuk.
But the fight Frederic desired, and Tkachuk allegedly promised, never materialized.
Unlike Frederic, Tkachuk never removed his gloves, leaving Frederic perplexed when he grabbed Tkachuk’s jersey. A scrum ensued around mid-ice, and Frederic received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Following Boston’s 6-4 season-opening loss at Amerant Bank Arena, Frederic said that Tkachuk informed him he would face the Bruins center, and Frederic chastised him for pulling out of the battle.
“He genuinely asked me because I asked him, but he didn’t. “That’s hard to read,” Frederic told reporters. “I didn’t realize people did it. “I believe that is a little disrespectful to the game.”
Frederic’s comments simply add to the enmity that the Bruins and Panthers have developed in recent years, with Tkachuk viewed as a villain by Boston fans.
While Tkachuk and Frederic, who scored in the third period, did not face off, there was plenty of physical play throughout the game. Less than six minutes into the game, Bruins newcomer Mark Kastelic and former Bruins forward A.J. Greer locked fists. Sam Bennett also ran over Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo in the third period.
The Bruins were clearly seeking vengeance after the Panthers ended Boston’s season in the playoffs the previous two years. However, the Bruins’ judgment appeared clouded as they attempted to retaliate against Florida, particularly through physical play. They were undisciplined at points, committing eight penalties.
“I do not know. Perhaps a little. “I mean, my mind was probably not in the best place for the first hockey game of the season,” Frederic admitted. “The positive side is that we kept pushing back, and I believe we simply ran out of time. We’ll get them within the next week or so.
