Quote:
Originally Posted by flames_fan_down_under
I don't even understand what Tkachuk did exactly? What action took place on his part during that game that requires him having to answer to Kassian?
Draisaitl slew-foots Tkachuk.
Backlund hit McDavid, Connor was triggered so he pulls Backlund down to the ice, Tkachuk comes in and barely even touches McDavid.
Kassian then goes into primate mode and tries to initiate a fight with an unwilling Tkachuk and throws a bunch of punches.
Tkachuk gets slew-footed and then attacked by a neanderthal yet still is somehow the one who needs to answer the bell for his "actions", just crazy stuff coming from Edmonton.
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This is exactly what it is for me. I'm not going to fully put my Flames goggles on and say I don't understand it at all. Tkachuk was in full pest mode (as he should be with McD) the other night. He was aggravating him, annoying him, trying to get him off his game.
Because of this, I also have no problem with the Oilers wanting to do something about that. Kassian can try and engage him and see what happens, but also has to accept the risk of the penalties he took should Tkachuk doesn't engage back (as he shouldn't with Kassian). But I have no issue with the Oilers trying to use some muscle to deter Matt's behavior.
However, where it all falls apart is the "Tkachuk HAS to answer the bell argument from the Edmonton media and fans". Answer the bell for what? He didn't do anything that requires him to answer the bell, even by the old school code. There was no hit, cheap shot on McD that could have left him injured. This is the big difference between this, and the last time Tkachuk riled the hockey world up like this with his annoyance of Doughty. In that incident, there was an elbow to the head that IMO required him to answer for. Which he did.
On Saturday, there was nothing that dictates even by the oldest most outdated of hockey codes that the Flames leading point player at the time should be forced to answer to one of the last goons employed in the game. Tkachuk vs. McDavid is the two teams best players, of even size, going head to head. I'd say it's more on McDavid right now to have to step up and deal with Tkachuk than the other way around.