Panthers, Bruins series to be 'heavily scrutinized' by NHL going forward
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The second round series between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers will be "heavily scrutinized" by the NHL moving forward, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
"Game 3 tonight between Florida and Boston. Game 2 certainly had a nasty tone to it amplified by the Pastrnak/Tkachuk scrap," Dreger wrote in a post on X. "Both clubs have been told by the NHL this series will be heavily scrutinized moving forward."
The best-of-seven series is tied at a game apiece with the series shifting to Boston for the next two games, including Friday's Game 3.
Florida's 6-1 rout in Game 2 on Wednesday was particularly physical with a total of 148 penalty minutes shared between the two teams, including 12 game misconducts in the third period.
After Brandon Montour scored a shorthanded goal midway through the final period to make it 6-1 for Florida, Montour pretended to lick Brad Marchand after the goal, referring to Marchand's previous incidents of licking players.
A scrum broke out with the referees holding back those two while four players, including Marchand, were given 10 minute penalties for misconduct after the incident.
By the end of the night, Pat Maroon, Trent Frederic, Justin Brazeau, Charlie McAvoy and Marchand of the Bruins as well as Nick Cousins, Dmitry Kulikov, Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Mikkola and Sam Reinhart of the Panthers were all thrown out of the game.
Star forwards David Pastrnak and Matthew Tkachuk also got into a fight of their own and received game misconducts.