Matthew Tkachuk is well aware of his reputation in the league, but the Calgary Flames plague denied any notion that he intentionally fell on goalkeeper Jack Campbell in the closing moments of Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“It was just a battle up front … situation of six against five just hitting the puck,” Tkachuk told reporters on Monday. “I live in that area, I live in that crease area during games, and I’m just looking for a record and I was fighting Brodes (TJ Brodie) a little bit there and the guys started coming.
“I just got knocked down and obviously had no intention of falling on him or anything. This is complete … it’s just a classic thing to try to accuse me from there.”
Campbell, who apparently moved something in his lower body minutes earlier, stayed in the game and won his second win of the season.
Tkachuk, who leads Flames with three goals in four games in this campaign, says he has no problem ignoring criticism.
“I am very surprised by some things that come out of other people’s mouths these days, but it’s a good thing that I don’t hear that. I just get questions from other people, ”he said. “Thank God I don’t use my phone, I think that long after the games, otherwise I would go crazy.”
The Leafs and Flames meet again on Tuesday for the second of nine clashes between the teams this season.