One can only guess how many hockey players, fans, and parents have daydreamed about slapping that obnoxious mouthguard out of Matthew Tkachuk’s mouth. It seems so enticing, too, with that piece of plastic always dangling out of the aggravating sophomore’s mouth.
Similar proportions of hockey people probably want to see Ryan Kesler get punched, too (Ryan Johansen would raise his hand, but he’s in transit), so their Friday fight is a “have your cake and eat it too” moment for many.
The real question is, if you had to choose, which player would you hope would win such a fight? It’s an interesting question for anyone who isn’t a fan of the Anaheim Ducks or Calgary Flames, especially if you don’t leave a blank spot for someone to enter “the meteor” as a write-in candidate.
The Ducks ended up winning the game 2-1.
As a side note, it seems reasonable to assume that Brady Tkachuk enjoyed Friday more than his brother.
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.