The NHL is really having a week right now.
Back on Friday, hockey fans were treated to a hilarious scene after Artemi Panarin threw his glove at Brad Marchand while the pair were chirping from the benches. Now, it’s time to add biting to the mix!
On Saturday, late in the third period of a game between the Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings, Brady Tkachuk and Brendan Lemieux got tangled up in a scrap. In their tussle, Lemieux bit down on Tkachuk’s hand twice as the Senators’ captain was lying on the ice, which earned the Los Angeles winger a five minute major and a game misconduct ejection from the game.
And it wasn’t just a small bite either, Tkachuk’s hand was bloody as the pair were separated after the incident.
Brendan Lemieux was given a 5-minute match penalty after Brady Tkachuk claimed that he was bitten after they dropped the gloves. pic.twitter.com/kUlig9bKGb
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 28, 2021
There were also clear indentation marks on Tkachuk’s hand after the fact as well.
Brendan Lemieux ejected for biting Brady Tkachuk 😬. Tkachuk shows the evidence pic.twitter.com/VpjOGiNaWk
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) November 28, 2021
It’s been… some time since we’ve had such a high profile incident in the NHL involving a player’s mouth dealing damage to an opponent. Lemieux is set to have an in-person hearing via Zoom for biting Tkachuk, which opens the Kings’ forward to be suspended for more than five games.
After the game, Tkachuk had some extremely harsh words for Lemieux
Brady Tkachuk here #Sens pic.twitter.com/6c2bYKB0Ma
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) November 28, 2021
“This is the one time I’m going to answer this. It was the most gutless thing somebody could ever do. This guy, you can ask any one of his teammates, nobody ever wants to play with him. This guy is a bad guy and a bad teammate, he focuses on himself all the time.
The guy’s just a joke. He shouldn’t be in the league. This guy’s gutless. No other team wants him. He’s going to keep begging to be in the NHL, but no other team wants him, he’s an absolute joke. I can’t even wrap my head around it. People don’t even do this. He’s just a bad guy.
It’s outrageous. Kids don’t even do that anymore. Babies do that. I don’t even know what he was thinking. He’s just a complete brick head. He’s got nothing up there. Bad guy, bad player, but what a joke he is.”
My favorite part about Tkachuk’s incredible quote is the hilarious use of the phrase “brick head”. Just stellar stuff!
Here’s how the hockey world reacted to Lemieux’s bite and Tkachuk’s comments.