Pastrnak On Tkachuk: ‘I’m Not Afraid Of Him’

The Bruins’ superstar winger lost, but he deserves full credit for standing up to the Panthers’ agitator. Anyone who has labeled Pastrnak as ‘soft’ needs some mustard for their crow this morning.

The ESPN cameras caught David Pastrnak looking up at Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery on the bench before he went out on the ice again and challenged Tkachuk to a fight.

Both Pastrnak and Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery told the media that Pastrnak did not seek and get permission to fight.

“No” was the only thing they would say to that theory.

However, both defended the decision by Pastrnak to drop the gloves with his fellow 2023 Hart Trophy finalist. Both were also totally on board with the fight.

“I’m not afraid of him. I can take a punch, and I’d do anything for these guys here,” Pastrnak told reporters after the game.

Montgomery expressed how proud he was of Pastrnak.

“What I’m really proud of, is I’m proud Pasta because there so many guys out there pushing after the whistles when the linesmen are there. ‘Pasta’ and Tkachuk, they just went out there and fought.” the Bruins bench boss told reporters. “That’s what you like. You like your hockey players to go out there and be competitors.”

One thing Montgomery didn’t like was Tkachuk’s punches to the head of Pastrnak when he was down and defenseless.

“That’s not part of the game to me,” he said.

What is part of the game is leaders stepping up when needed and that’s what Pastrnak did for the Boston Bruins in Game 2.