The Florida Panthers lost Game 1 of their second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Matthew Tkachuk was visibly frustrated. As the clock expired with Toronto leading 5–4, Tkachuk took a blatant cheap shot at Mitch Marner—sparking outrage from fans postgame.
The Panthers, reigning Stanley Cup champions, entered the 2025 Playoffs as one of the top contenders to lift the Cup again. But to do that, they’ll have to get past the Maple Leafs in this second-round battle.
Florida is known as one of the most physical and antagonistic teams in the league—and over the past few years, they’ve earned a reputation for playing dirty, even rat-like hockey. It’s not surprising with names like Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Matthew Tkachuk on the roster.
Matthew Tkachuk slammed
Florida nearly clawed back from a three-goal deficit in Game 1 but ultimately fell short, losing 5–4. Emotions ran high as the final seconds ticked away. With no realistic chance to score, Matthew Tkachuk let his frustration boil over in a highly questionable moment.
In a move that seemed both deliberate and reckless, Matthew Tkachuk targeted Mitch Marner, appearing to attempt a knee-on-knee hit while charging full speed along the boards. The video of the incident quickly went viral, with fans across social media slamming his actions.
“There’s a difference between playing tough and on the edge during the play vs trying to blatantly injure guys after the final buzzer. The ironic part is how much they’d freak out if this was reversed. Dirty rat team,” one fan wrote.
“You can see Marner literally knew it was coming. Just the most predictable shit at this point. Panthers are a fu–king disgusting team,” another added.
“Can we stop pretending the Panthers are tough? They’re a dirty team that the league has allowed to get away with so much shit. They’re a joke,” a third said.
READ MORE: Doctor releases new theory on Anthony Stolarz’s scary injury
