Ryan Reaves laughs and mocks Matthew Tkachuk after fight challenge

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Ryan Hall
April 2, 2024 (12:53)

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In a pivotal matchup between the Maple Leafs and the Panthers, Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves laughed at Matthew Tkachuk after the Florida superstar challenged him to a fight.

After the scrum was broken up, Reaves even mocked Tkachuk with waving his hands in the air as if he feared the 26-year-old while holding a big grin on his face.

Both teams had this game circled on their calendars as each team feels it's likely that they will be first round opponents two weeks from now.

Prior to the game, Reaves spoke to the media stating that his team needed to send a message and the need to be physical and being a high intensity game will be fun to play.

"I'm expecting a fun one," smiles Ryan Reaves, who loves him a little hate. "It's gonna be physical. It's gonna be direct. It's gonna be high intensity. It's gonna feel like a playoff game. It's a potential playoff matchup, so it's gonna be everything you expect."

As the game wore on into the second period, the Maple Leafs assumed control of the game and took a 3-1 lead in which Paul Maurice's Panthers took exception and led to this scrum and many more like them.

The Panthers who are well known as a rough and tough team to play against who assert themselves with their physicality and their ability to grind their opponents down into dust certainly were trying as they brought the game to within one goal, with two minutes left in the game.

But the Leafs prevailed, and Reaves spoke to Sportsnet Sean Mackenzie afterwards and gave his take on how his team handled the Panthers and weathering the storm in the third. He even cracked a joke about his body and how it needs to be marketed as he had to have a Leafs shirt on while doing the interview.

It's going to be a fascinating first round if these two teams clash. With last year's debacle as the Panthers rolled the Maple Leafs in five games, with this new team toughness and improved defence it remains to be seen on how the Maple Leafs will handle the Panthers.