Brad Marchand is now enjoying the perks of NHL life in Sunrise, but that wasn’t always the case. He previously endured grueling matchups against Matthew Tkachuk’s Florida Panthers—particularly against one current teammate who is now blossoming into a key contributor night in and night out during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Marchand and the Panthers have taken a 1-0 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes with a commanding 5-2 triumph during the opening matchup of the Eastern Conference Final. Job’s far from over for the Cats, though—Tkachuk and company are definitely aware of that.
In hopes of reaching their third straight Stanley Cup Final, the reigning NHL champs in Sunrise are determined to set the tone with a perfect visit to Raleigh. In order to do that, the Panthers can’t afford no passengers, though they are known for featuring key players on every line and boasting second-to-none depth.
On that note, Niko Mikkola is one name that has taken over the spotlight several times throughout the season for Marchand’s Panthers. The 29-year-old defenseman has found his best version in Sunrise, becoming a defensive cornerstone. The 6’6” blueliner registers 9 blocked shots and 20 hits in the Panthers’ last 10 games.
Needless to say, not many forwards want to go up against Mikkola on the ice or against the boards, even Marchand wasn’t a fan of matching up against the Finnish defenseman.
“I really did not like playing against him,” Brad Marchand admitted about his past matchups with Mikkola back in his Bruins’ days, as reported by Jameson Olive on X, formerly Twitter. “I love Mikksy. He’s a great teammate. Very fun to be around.”
No over-thinking
During Game 1 at Lenovo Center, Marchand took center stage in one of the night’s game-changing moments. After delivering a late hit on Carolina blueliner Shayne Gostisbehere, the latter responded by intentionally firing the puck at Marchand’s body. Florida’s newest star took exception, dropping the gloves against the 5’11” Hurricanes defenseman—who chose to keep his mitts on.
Marchand was ejected from the game with a misconduct, but the message was sent—Carolina heard it loud and clear, and the stage is set for more fireworks in Game 2. “I’m not much of a thinker. I don’t have much thought on that situation,” Marchand said of the incident.
Staying alert
While the dominating win in Game 1 certainly boosts the team’s morale heading into the rest of the NHL Eastern Conference Final, Tkachuk, Marchand, and company know better than to take their foot off the gas now.
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“We would expect the best game out of Carolina tonight,” Marchand added. “You have to be completely prepared to match that and be prepared for what they’re going to bring. You can’t look ahead. It’s one of those things where when you lose a game you rebound really hard.”