Epic chirp: Tkachuk makes fun of Kane's money troubles (VIDEO)

May 19 2022, 5:33 pm

It didn’t take long for the scoring to start in the Battle of Alberta, and the chirping is already at epic levels as well.

The Calgary Flames beat the Edmonton Oilers 9-6 in Game 1, which makes it the highest-scoring Stanley Cup playoff game since 1993. It was also the highest-scoring Battle of Alberta playoff game ever.

There were no fights in the game, but there was plenty of rough stuff, and plenty of talking.

Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk and Evander Kane of the Oilers received matching two-minute roughing penalties early in the third period when Calgary was up 7-6.

The cameras caught an epic chirp from Tkachuk while the two players were being separated by the linesmen.

Tkachuk, who made $9 million in salary this season, appeared to be making fun of Kane’s well-publicized money troubles. Kane filed for bankruptcy in January of last year and lost millions more a year later after the San Jose Sharks terminated his contract.

Lip readers watching the broadcast saw Tkachuk appear to ask Kane if he wanted some money while the Flames forward was making the pay me gesture with his hands.

The troll job continued while both players were in the penalty box, with Tkachuk appearing to repeatedly say “you poor bastard” in Kane’s direction.

Those words probably didn’t hurt as much as what Tkachuk did when he got back onto the ice. With Kane still in the box, Tkachuk scored his second goal of the game to extend Calgary’s lead to 8-6.

There was some confusion about Tkachuk being able to leave the penalty box before Kane, given they received offsetting minor penalties. Because Flames defenceman Oliver Kylington also received a penalty at the same time as Tkachuk and Kane, NHL rules allowed for Calgary to pick who comes out of the box first.

Kylington took a more subtle approach to trolling Kane.

Tkachuk went on to complete the hat trick with an empty-net goal, with his father Keith refusing to throw his hat. Game 2 is tomorrow night.

Rob WilliamsRob Williams

+ Offside
+ Hockey
+ Flames
+ Oilers
+ Battle of Alberta
ADVERTISEMENT