Brady Tkachuk’s long-awaited NHL postseason debut ended in disappointment following the elimination of the Ottawa Senators at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
His older brother Matthew, who is still competing for the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, took time to recognize the fight Brady showed in the first-round series.
Appearing on Friday’s episode of the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast, Matthew Tkachuk praised Brady’s leadership and impact across the six-game series.
“I’m proud of the way he played. He played great,” Matthew said. “It was, I think, a very big learning experience to, like, see it firsthand with those guys. And, you know, I thought he really led the charge, like with their team.”
The Senators fell behind 3-0 to Toronto but responded with back-to-back wins and nearly forced a Game 7.
A late third-period goal by Max Pacioretty in Game 6 broke a 2-2 tie, and William Nylander’s empty-net goal ended Ottawa’s season.
Brady Tkachuk finished the series with four goals and three assists in six games, leading the team in points.
“It’s tough,” Matthew said. “Your first playoff going up against, you know, as great of a team as the Leafs are… I thought Brady and his teammates, back against the wall, (going down 2-0, then 3-0), and able to fight back enough…
”Could have gotten to Game 6 overtime, which I’m sure they would have taken a week ago. He’s been grinding since 4 Nations with stuff too, so I’m just proud of his fight. He’s a gamer.”
Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk (7) during a stop in play at Rogers Arena.
Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Meanwhile, Brady Tkachuk was visibly emotional following Thursday’s loss. He called the defeat “devastating,” acknowledging he was convinced the Senators had enough to pull off the comeback.
“It’s devastating,” Brady said. “I believed. It’s a tough pill to swallow right now.
“To be honest, (Pacioretty’s goal) was a little deflating. But there’s six minutes left to play… I really believed that we were going to come back and win the game. Just tough. Just tough.”
