Home / News / The Bruins and Panthers argument between the benches explained: ‘We’re not splitting the atom down here’

The Bruins and Panthers argument between the benches explained: ‘We’re not splitting the atom down here’

By Chris Cerullo

 4 Comments

April 19, 2023 11:57 pm

Wednesday’s game between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers ended with the Panthers winning 6-3 and evening up the first-round series 1-1 before heading down to Sunrise, Florida. That final score wasn’t the most entertaining or interesting part of the game though.

That award goes to an extended argument between the team’s benches late in the third period. It was the sort of situation that Tom Wilson dreams about.

With 1:44 remaining in regulation, play was halted by a whistle due to Panthers forward Eric Staal staying down after taking an elbow to the chin from Bruins forward Tomas Nosek.

Nosek did not receive a penalty for the hit which infuriated the Panthers’ coaching staff and bench.

The ensuing three minutes and 30 seconds of animated discussion between the two benches was highly entertaining television as the officials tried to sort out what exactly the penalty and following faceoff situation would be. Garnet Hathaway ended up getting the only call which was a ten-minute misconduct.

The discussion starts between Nosek and noted loudmouth Matthew Tkachuk. Nosek’s exact wording is obscured by ESPN’s Ray Ferraro talking over him but he seems to insinuate that Staal is making a mountain out of a molehill regarding the hit.

Staal then comes over after receiving attention from Florida’s athletic trainer and that’s when the temperature rises.

“Good hit,” he says sarcastically. “Good clean hit. That was f&*king nice. Good clean hit. Good clean hit you f&* anking loser.”

Nosek replies, “Shut up, I barely touched you.”

The exchange brought out an “Oops, oh boy” response from ESPN’s Sean McDonough who had the play-by-play for the game. Ferraro then tries to save the situation and talk over any more obscenities by outlining what Tkachuk and Staal were so upset about as if that wasn’t made abundantly clear on live mics seconds prior.

Panthers forward and rowdy character in his own right, Ryan Lomberg then skates into frame and stares a hole into Nosek. Nosek notices him and tells him to “go home, go away” multiple times which brings out possibly the best line of the whole mess.

“We are going home and you’re coming with us too,” Lomberg answers. The next two games in the series are indeed at FLA Live Arena. Well done, Ryan.

After that comeback, Ferraro observed, “We’re not splitting the atom down here,” which is probably a perfect summary of the occasion. Ferraro then warns the listening audience of what could happen if the officials don’t hurry up and drop the puck as tempers continue to flare.

He was proven exactly right as in the last 70 seconds of regulation Lomberg, Radko Gudas, Derek Forbort, Nick Foligno, Trent Frederic, and Tyler Bertuzzi were all given ten-minute misconducts after some late-game rough stuff.

Lomberg and Frederic were at the center of the main portion of nonsense with Lomberg seemingly putting the much larger Frederic in a chokehold. Playoff hockey, baby.

Puck drop for Game Three in Florida comes on Friday at 7:30 pm ET.

Screenshot via ESPN

, ,