Nikita Kucherov caught Matthew Tkachuk which resulted in a painful leg collision. I don’t believe Kucherov did anything to target the knee or create knee on knee contact. I do hope Tkachuk is ok and can come back to compete in the international tournament because hockey needs that, but I don’t think Kucherov did anything wrong here.
@Tampa Bay Lightning
36 Comments
I didn't think it was a major either, but in a game like that where he's bound to just get targeted, it's best they just toss him. The game was so nasty, I can't even imagine what would've happened if that was only a minor.
Tkachuk was on the ice for the same power play … he was faking it to get the major called. Its a joke the NHL lets this happen, and reward the soccer players
At first I thought he was really hurt , and felt a slight twinge of empathy – then I recalled the 20 + players he has injured himself with his cheap shots and I thought karma had finally caught up with this piece of dung. Expectedly, though, he was faking and he was back. What a leader. I'm gald we never drafted this slimeball. I would consider a Cup won with Matt Tkachuk as a tainted one.
The fake is obvious when you see the "check the referee" peek while rolling around on the ice (don't see video of it here). And I wish they'd call a penalty for chewing on a mouthguard during play, and they need to call the visor penalty again.
Good assessment, Kucherov did what he could to rotate his hip. Kinda surprised that after watching the replay they still gave him the major.
Great review. Tkachuk's knee isn't there when Kucherov lines up the hit, it's at the last second that Tkachuk bring his leg forward and in line to be hit. I don't see that as being any different than when a guy turns to face the boards at the last second as he's about to get hit. MAYBE give Kucherov 2 minutes for that, maybe, definitely not a major.
Another great review. I agree that this is a hip-check that Tkachuck makes worse by his positioning.
Kucherov never extended his leg, he did what he could to focus on hip power to avoid a bad collision. Unfortunately Chucky was fully extended and went low life soccer player on the contact to suddenly return chewing on his mouth piece as per usual.
Yeah, solid assessment. NHL Player safety should hire you 👌
The intent was to injure and make a large hit that was going to body Matthew Tkachuk, regardless of whether he was initially or not initially targeting the knee. I am biased. But it's ridiculous to say Kucherov was targeting the smallest space on Matthew based on this camera angle and then blame Matthew for trying to get his feet under him for an already fast-moving target in Kucherov that was looking to knock Matthew off his feet. In real time, Kucherov was going to steamroll Matthew. Kucherov is at fault for creating this situation, not Matthew. Is this the worst play I have ever seen in hockey? No. But for this episode of Tough Call, I find this review poor, and I love this channel and respect this channel's assessments. I am going to disagree with the conclusion this time around. I still liked this video, and will continue to watch and subscribe.
Y’all really hate the Florida Panthers man😂
86 did not deserve a penalty of any sort. Bad call by the refs.
I sincerely hope Kuch is okay
IF the refs really wanted to call a penalty, you could make the argument for interference. How you get all the way to a misconduct for kneeing is absurd.
The thing is, the one who lays the hit is responsible. It’s not tkachuk’s job to put his body in a position that allows kutch to make a legal hit. It’s kutch’s job to ensure he’s legal at the point of contact. Players do things to strategically improve their safety but it doesn’t mean it’s their fault if they make a mistake that leaves them vulnerable. Just like a driver being at fault for an accident because the vehicle ahead makes an abrupt stop. I don’t think kutch did anything intentional here – doesn’t change the fact that he is accountable for laying a clean hit and this wasn’t. That said, I think the penalty was sufficient and additional discipline isn’t necessary.
No sympathy for the arsehole that is Tkachuk.
NONE.
No penalty
You forgot to analyze the part where Tkachuk flopped around on the like he was gonna need a trip to the hospital, then miraculously was fine
Would this be similar in a way to head contact, where if you go through the core, but hit the head as well, the league generally thinks it’s fine and legal? Kuch generally goes through the core, but gets enough knee on the way through to be suspect?
Just here to learn. I enjoy your analysis!
Kuch doing the lords work with this one
This is a really good video!
For me it`s turtle overextending and sticking his leg out. Kuch – i don`t know his intentions but he ends up trying a hip check – let`s look at the scenario where Kuch just doesn`t throw a hit but simply drives straight. It would be the same collision of the legs.
A vet like Tkachuk has to know he can`t do that in traffic.
He sold it then, which i hate.
He missed how many shifts 2 shifts add an intermission to recover from his great act !! Catshit plays an actor better then he plays hockey.
You can see Kuch make a play on the puck and Tkachuk gets a piece of it first. That hit is fine, Tkachuk was in a bad spot, the hit looks awkward in real time and Tkachuk sold the call.
All the people claiming embellishment after watching a slow-motion replay of his leg bending the wrong way during the hit are out of touch.
Good hit bad, positioning on fucktuck.
Finally, someone with a semblance of sense. Unfortunately, Panthers fans fall short of such a qualified description.
I was laughing so much when I seen tachuck cry like a little bitch. , when all he does is try and hurt other players , So. Ya. CARMA anyone. Haha. Still laughing I love it.
All of you saying Kucherov didn’t deserve a penalty at all, not a major, etc etc. all of you would be saying the opposite if this was the other way around and saying how Tkachuk is the dirtiest player of them all. Just say you hate Florida and that you wish that other teams could do anything to them without consequences.
Maybe, but Tkachuk likes to piss everyone he plays against off. It seems in every highlight I watch of him playing, he is right on the boundary pushing the limits and pissing everyone off. For guys that play this way in many sports, not just hockey, these kinds of "accidents" seem to happen to and around them more often. Trying to figure if any given one was intentional or not can be hard but honestly, is anyone really surprised this happened to him?
If that wasn't a intentional punch by Bennett , this wasn't even close to intentional knee on knee
Beautiful hip check
When I first watched this play without any context or knowing what happened I saw it as a potential penalty on Tkachuk. He swings his right leg around to make contact with Kucherov's knee.
Upchuck stuck his leg out.
He should have been called for kneeing.
Wow you actually got something right for a change
Tkachuk did a good job faking injury in order to sell the penalty, like the POS that he is.
Would love to see your assessment on the intentional slash to the head of Quinton Byfield by Matvei Michkov during the Kings vs Flyers game