Tyler Bertuzzi is a tough guy to play against, and he’s exactly what the Bruins need if they want the Cup.
He’s been playing an important role since signing earlier this season, and it didn’t take long for him to make a mark in this year’s playoffs, with an incredible move in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series between the Bruins and the Panthers, on Monday night.
In the third period, Bertuzzi was on his way to the bench when he suddenly got tangled up with Panthers’ Nick Cousins, who also planned to make a shift.
As the two had a small collision, Bertuzzi simply stole Cousins’ stick and took it with him to the Bruins’ bench. Cousins tried to get his stick back but could just watch as his opponent took it with him to the wrong side of the bench.
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As Bertuzzi eventually got to the bench, he tried to break Cousins’ stick. He didn’t succeed, but at least he forced his opponent to play with a new stick.
The sequence quickly made the rounds on social media, and following the Bruins’ 3-1 win, Bertuzzi explained why he did it.
“I mean, it’s the playoffs. There’s gonna be some stupid things that happen,” Bertuzzi said after the game, per Yahoo Sports. “And that was one of them.”
Game 1 was Bertuzzi’s playoff debut, and he made a strong impact as he had two assists in Bruins’ three goals. Bertuzzi wasn’t signed for scoring goals or assists, but rather to be a pain the ass to play against and to always try to get under the skin of his opponents.
With two assists, and a legendary move stealing a Panthers player’s stick, he’s sure of to a good start. This is exactly what the Bruins fans want to see, and it’s also precisely what hockey fans love to watch during the playoffs.
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