Matthew, Brady Tkachuk at their feisty best with grandmother in the stands
A meeting of the Tkachuk brothers is also a family affair in the stands.
Keith Tkachuk, the former NHL star and father of the Ottawa Senators' Brady and Florida Panthers' Matthew, is usually in the arena, and Monday night, so was the brothers' grandmother, Geraldine.
The two All-Stars have said they would never fight each other during a game. They didn't Monday in Ottawa during their 19th overall meeting, but they were at their feisty best with grandma in the stands.
Matthew, who had an assist in the first round of the Panthers' 5-0 win, was jawing at Senators goalie Joonas Korpisalo at the end of the second period. Brady was on the ice but was pushed away.
Matthew Tkachuk and Korpisalo having a few words at the end of the period. Was hoping for a Brady vs Matthew fight. pic.twitter.com/Z251rU94RM
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) November 28, 2023
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Matthew and Ottawa's Travis Hamonic got two minutes each for roughing, with Matthew getting an extra two for unsportsmanlike conduct.
During the third period, Matthew checked Hamonic and was jumped from behind by Ottawa's Zach MacEwen, who received a match penalty and was fined $2,018.23 on Tuesday for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Zack MacEwen assessed a five-minute match penalty for a check to the head on Matthew Tkachuk. 👀 pic.twitter.com/kwa8WjEdoH
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 28, 2023
Cameras caught Brady (on the bench) and Matthew chirping at each other.
The Tkachuk bros exchange some words 🍿 pic.twitter.com/CLrHkG9TDx
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 28, 2023
Later, Matthew and Ottawa's Jake Sanderson fought, with Matthew getting an extra two minutes for removing his helmet. Grandma didn't seem pleased.
Matthew Tkachuk & Jake Sanderson tangle up 👊🏼
Matthew gets an extra 2 minutes for taking his helmet off #NHL | #TimeToHunt | #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/RGzohUuXnR— The Cam & Strick Podcast (@CamandStrick) November 28, 2023
With Matthew in the penalty box, Brady was penalized 12 seconds later for cross-checking Florida's Aaron Ekblad.
He later began his own scrum. Exiting the penalty box, Brady was stopped by Korpisalo, then slashed the goalie as he went by. And of course, the camera shifted to grandma as she watched the ensuing chaos.
#GoSensGo Brady Tkachuk is undoubtedly one of my favorite hockey players all time. Here he is taking on three Panthers on his own while his worried grandma looks on from the stands and his brother from the penalty box. All heart, tough as hell, plays the game right. pic.twitter.com/KOLQGKnxFx
— Case Bruman (@DukeBruman) November 28, 2023
Grandma Tkachuk reacts to all the chaos 😂 pic.twitter.com/xfBaDEfE2Q
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 28, 2023
The referees had enough. Everyone on the ice got a 10-minute misconduct, ending their nights. Brady got an extra four minutes for goaltender interference and roughing.
The final count: 11 penalty minutes for Matthew and 16 for Brady.
Their next meeting: Feb. 20 in Florida.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew, Brady Tkachuk have feisty games as their grandmother watches