Last night, the Ottawa Senators faced off against the Carolina Hurricanes, and it's safe to say the game didn't proceed smoothly. However, when one of the Tkachuk siblings is in the mix, such incidents are somewhat expected. Their matches consistently tend to escalate.
During the latter part of the third period, Tkachuk found himself awarded a penalty shot while the Senators trailed 4-1. Hurricanes' goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stepped up to confront Tkachuk with a poke-check, sparking an intense moment as Tkachuk retaliated; watch the sequence here.
To be fair to Tkachuk, Kochetkov aggressively engages without making contact with the puck, but it's crucial to maintain emotional composure. In that moment, all you're doing is harming your team and making yourself a target by attempting to fight the goalie.
The referees likely prevented several potential consequences by issuing Tkachuk a 10-minute misconduct during this incident. At the very least, it prevents immediate retaliation from the Hurricanes, but it wouldn't be surprising if they seek retribution the next time these teams meet.
