Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk brushes off injury concerns despite wild speculations

Matthew Tkachuk made it clear that he feels healthy and ready to play. Before Game 3 on Friday, there were a lot of questions about whether he would be in the lineup, and Panthers coach Paul Maurice said he had some decisions to make because of health issues. His comments started a lot of rumors, and many fans thought Tkachuk might miss the game.

He had a groin injury a few months ago, and after returning, he wasn't playing at his best. Some believed he needed more rest to fully recover, causing real concern about his status before the game.

However, Tkachuk played in Game 3 and is also expected to play in Game 4 on Sunday.

“I'm physically feeling great," Tkachuk told reporters on Friday. " ... I'm happy to be out there with the guys. There's nothing better.”

Game 3 turned out to be a close one. The Toronto Maple Leafs scored first, just 23 seconds into the game. They built a 3-1 lead in the second period, but the Panthers didn’t give up. They tied the game, then took a 4-3 lead late in the second period. Toronto tied it again in the third, which sent the game into overtime.

Brad Marchand scored for Florida, which secured the 5-4 victory. Tkachuk had an assist and played with strong effort throughout the game.

Brady and Matthew Tkachuk’s parents use three TVs to watch hockey games

Brady and Matthew Tkachuk’s parents, Keith and Chantal, set up three TVs in their living room so they could watch their sons play when their games are on at the same time. Keith came up with the idea so they wouldn’t miss anything important.

He made a rule that the son who plays better gets the bigger screen in the middle.

"If I can get a chance to watch them," Keith said on Saturday, via NHL. "I am gonna watch them both at the same time. And the guy who is playing better that game, gets the middle TV, the bigger one."

Chantal didn’t like the idea at first because of how it looked; however, she agreed so they could watch both games. They usually begin watching together, but they end up in different rooms by the end of the night.

"I try not to watch with her, because she gets too excited and I like to just let it happen," Keith said. "We love watching our kids, we are blessed to be able to do that."

Chantal added that their sons were competitive growing up, but quickly got along after fights.