Matthew Tkachuk was incredible during the Florida Panthers’ Playoff run last year.
And he hasn’t disappointed so far this playoffs, either.
He ranks four in points in the postseason, but he contributes with so much more than just goals and assists.
And in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers, he was at the center of attention all night, providing spark in the Panthers’ 3-0 win.
The Panthers are 5-1 on the road this postseason, and Tkachuk is a big part of why.
He’s always involved in physical battles and is always in the right place to contribute with offensive points.
In Game 1 against the Rangers, he only needed 1:19 until he laid the game’s first hit on Vincent Trocheck. And it was only the beginning.
Later in the first period, Tkachuk stepped up and absolutely bulldozed Trocheck with an even bigger hit that had fans off their seats.
The hit was clean and great, but it got even better by the fact that Tkachuk happened to score the first goal of the game just a minute later, as a surprising flick of his wrists surprised Igor Shesterkin.
The Panthers eventually won 3-0, and although Sergei Bobrovsky got the shutout, there was no doubt who the game’s biggest star was.
On social media, Tkachuk was praised by everyone for how he played, especially because of the hit on Trocheck that got things going.
Ryan Whitney, the co-host of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, described it best:
”Tkachuk first period has been ridiculous. Two huge hits on Trocheck and then scores. What a start of the series for him,” he said on X.
