Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk fined $5,000 for cross-checking Bruins' Garnet Hathaway
BOSTON -- Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk has been his normal agitating self through the first four games of Florida's first-round playoff series against the Bruins. On Sunday though, Tkachuk crossed a line that has now led to supplemental discipline.
The NHL department of player safety announced Monday that Tkachuk has been fined $5,000 -- the maximum allowable amount -- for his cross-check on Garnet Hathaway after the final whistle of the first period in Sunday's 6-2 Bruins win.
Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Cross-checking against Boston’s Garnet Hathaway.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) April 24, 2023
The cross-check came in a scrum behind the Florida net, with Tkachuk skating in from behind Hathaway and delivering a shot to an unprotected part of Hathaway's back.
Garnet Hathaway was very slow to get up after taking this cross check from Matthew Tkachuk to end the first period.
— Evan Marinofsky (@EvanMarinofsky) April 23, 2023
Not great: pic.twitter.com/KhlSf380Pm
Hathaway required attention from the Bruins' training staff, and Tkachuk was assessed a minor penalty on the play.
"Most guys who play don't have a ton of padding back there. Vulnerable spot," Hathaway said. "So I'm gonna be adding a lot more padding on my gear."
Tkachuk leads the Panthers with five points (2-3-5) through four games, while also racking up 16 penalty minutes -- third-most on Florida.