VIDEO: Matthew Tkachuk gives Jack Eichel ‘clean hit’ in pitch during 2023 Stanley Cup final

Matthew Tkachuk gives Jack Eichel ‘clean hit’ in pitch during 2023 Stanley Cup final

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The collision caused Eichel to leave the game in the final two minutes of the second period, but Tkachuk was not penalized for the hit on the play. However, he did earn himself a two-minute minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct for the skirmish after the hit. “I kind of toe-picked a little bit and saw him at the last minute. He finishes what I saw was a clean check on me,” Eichel said. “It’s a physical game. You’re gonna get hit sometimes.”

Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy echoed the same statements from Eichel on the Tkachuk play, calling it a “clean” hit. 

The Golden Knights star explained that he had the wind knocked out of him, and once he got back to the locker room and regrouped himself, he knew he was good to get back on the ice. The fact that Eichel was able to return is great news for the Golden Knights. He has played an integral role in the club’s postseason success this season, leading the team with 22 points in 19 games. 

With Vegas holding a 2-0 series lead over Florida in the Stanley Cup Final, Eichel’s services will be needed going forward in order to secure the final two wins that are necessary to raise the Stanley Cup. The fact that Eichel was able to return is great news for the Golden Knights. He has played an integral role in the club’s postseason success this season, leading the team with 22 points in 19 games. 

With Vegas holding a 2-0 series lead over Florida in the Stanley Cup Final, Eichel’s services will be needed going forward in order to secure the final two wins that are necessary to raise the Stanley Cup. The fact that Eichel was able to return is great news for the Golden Knights. He has played an integral role in the club’s postseason success this season, leading the team with 22 points in 19 games. 

With Vegas holding a 2-0 series lead over Florida in the Stanley Cup Final, Eichel’s services will be needed going forward in order to secure the final two wins that are necessary to raise the Stanley Cup. Vegas seized a 2-0 lead in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final with a commanding 7-2 victory over the Florida Panthers in Monday’s Game 2 at T-Mobile Arena. While the home team’s offensive firepower and strong play from goaltender Adin Hill (28 saves on 30 shots) made the difference, Matthew Tkachuk’s roller-coaster of an evening overshadowed some of the game.

The left-winger received a misconduct penalty in Game 1 and picked up where he left off with another one in the second period of Monday’s contest with a hard hit on Jack Eichel.

Tkachuk was excellent in the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes and figured to be Florida’s best chance at keeping up with Vegas’ litany of scorers, but a garbage-time goal after the outcome was decided and multiple misconducts through two games was not the formula.

The Golden Knights found their path to victory, though, with Jonathan Marchessault and Brett Howden each scoring twice. Alec Martinez, Nicolas Roy and Michael Amadio scored the other goals, and the Panthers ended up pulling goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period.

The only real concern for Vegas was the status of Eichel after Tkachuk crushed him, but even that didn’t last for long because he was back on the ice in the third period and even assisted Marchessault’s second goal.

Marchessault now has 12 goals in the playoffs and looked like the best player of the series for extended stretches.

Perhaps Tkachuk can reclaim that status with an impressive showing when the series shifts to Florida for Thursday’s Game 3, but he has left plenty to be desired through two losses to start the Stanley Cup Final.