Chris Kreider has had enough of Matthew Tkachuk chewing on his mouthguard.
During Game 4 between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers, Kreider ripped Tkachuk’s mouthguard straight out of his mouth and threw it into the stands.
The sequence unfolded during the third period when Kreider and Tkachuk were involved in a scrum after the whistle. During the altercation, Kreider reached into Tkachuk’s mouth, pulled out his mouthguard, and threw it over the glass into the crowd.
Check out the amusing clip below:
Did Chris Kreider throw Matthew Tkachuk's mouthguard into the stands? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/yZJSPizEDA
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 29, 2024
ESPN later showed a replay of the exact moment Kreider pulled out the mouthguard. “You’re not using this anyway,” – Chris Kreider, probably.
Tkachuk is famously known for never actually using his mouthguard. It’s always dangling out of his mouth, but he rarely chews on it. So while Kreider stole it from him, it’s not like Tkachuk was using it anyway.
Kreider did not receive a penalty on the play and won’t face any supplementary discipline. When asked about it after the game, the New York forward said he didn’t remember doing it.
Tkachuk had a funny response to the incident, saying it was the “best play Kreider made all game.” He trolled Kreider a bit over the incident.
“I told him it was the best play he made all game.”
Matthew Tkachuk
Tkachuk further explained that the mouthguard didn’t actually make it over the glass and landed in the corner. Tkachuk picked it up off the ice, washed it off, and continued using it for the rest of the game.
The Panthers went on to win Game 4 in overtime to even the series at 2-2. But Kreider’s mouthguard throw was one of the most memorable and talked about moments from the game.