Flames’ Tkachuk brushes off insult from Sharks’ Evander Kane

CALGARY, Alberta — What started out as “just talk” has evolved into no talk. Will it lead to “a little more action” in Calgary Thursday night?

When the Sharks last met up with the Calgary Flames on Dec. 31, the teams combined for 64 penalty minutes in the final 41 seconds of the game. Sam Bennett threw a questionable hit on defenseman Radim Simek that Sharks coach Pete DeBoer labeled as “predatory.” Barclay Goodrow got tossed for jumping Bennett in Simek’s defense. Evander Kane, Matthew Tkachuk and Rasmus Andersson all received 10-minute misconduct penalties for igniting a full-on battle royale as the clock ticked down.

After the game, Kane accused Tkachuk of failing to back up his “chatter” with “action.”

“There’s a lot of chatter,” Kane said after the Sharks 8-5 loss on Dec. 31. “The game’s changed a lot from when I came in 10 years ago. There wouldn’t be as much talk, a little more action. I wanted to make sure there was a little more action than just talk.”

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But on the eve of Thursday’s rematch, Kane played coy regarding the potential for further “action” in a game with serious playoff implications. Kane said he has “no idea” what will happen when the Pacific Division rivals reconnect in Calgary, repeating the phrase “we’ll see” five times with a smile on his face. Then, he acknowledged that the hit that sidelined Simek for two games with a concussion hasn’t been forgotten.

“I know what you’re asking, I know what you’re trying to get me to say. We’ll see,” Kane said. “It’s something that, hopefully, everybody in this room remembers because it doesn’t matter who you are, whether you’re a skill guy, a big guy, a tough guy or a small guy, it’s on each and every person in this room to stick up for one another. We’ll see.”

Tkachuk also danced around the subject, brushing aside Kane’s suggestion that he’s “just talk” and no action.

“I’m don’t think I’m going to be the guy who’s going to give you what you want on that quote,” the Flames agitator said. “Those games are fun to play in. I love those games. Our whole team’s thriving in those games this year. We have guys that can play that style, too. (Kane) is a good player. They’re a really-good team. It’s going to be a great game.”

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The Sharks expressed their feelings about Bennett’s hit on Simek more vocally in the immediate aftermath of the New Year’s Eve showdown.

Bennett concussed Simek by delivering an east-west hit on the defenseman that came nearly a full second after he released the puck with just 23 seconds remaining in a three-goal game. The hit came after Bennett received a spear from Sharks goalie Aaron Dell earlier in the period. Logan Couture and Joe Thornton unleashed four-letter tirades directed at the Flames bench after the hit. Joe Pavelski called Bennett “gutless” in his postgame scrum with reporters. DeBoer used the word “predatory.”

When the NHL Department of Player Safety let Bennett off the hook, refusing to further penalize the Flames forward with a suspension or a fine, general manager Doug Wilson called the league’s inaction “disappointing.” Wilson said that Bennett threw the hit with the intent to injure and ended up achieving his goal, which should be grounds for supplementary discipline.

After practice on Wednesday, the Sharks struck a different tone. Thornton got hit with a sudden bout of amnesia, saying he didn’t remember his team’s last bout with the Flames.

“Did we win or lose?” Thornton asked reporters.

The Sharks will ultimately be walking a tight rope on Thursday night. They probably want to hold Bennett accountable for injuring their teammate. At the same time, they need the two points on the line, trailing the Flames by four points for first place in the Pacific Division standings. If they’re more focused on payback than hockey, they could walk right into the Flames trap.

That’s what happened on Nov. 15 when Goodrow tried to coax Nazem Kadri into a fight off the opening draw in response to the Toronto Maple Leafs agitator’s instigation of Thornton the previous winter. Kadri tried to skate away from Goodrow, drawing a roughing penalty eight seconds into the game and the Maple Leafs capitalized, scoring a goal just two seconds after the ensuing power play expired.

“We know how critical the points are. We know where everybody is in the standings, so that’s first and foremost,” DeBoer said. “This isn’t about settling scores. This is about trying to close the gap on these guys in the division. There’s going to be a lot of emotion. It’s going to be physical. That stuff takes care of itself.”

Flames coach Bill Peters is also expecting hockey to be the focus in his dressing room on Thursday. Both teams are trying to win the Pacific Division to avoid the possibility of a first-round matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring.

“There’s lots at stake,” the Flames coach said. “The head-to-head games are very valuable and important.”

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Sharks will soon make Bob Boughner their full-time coach, per report As far as Simek is concerned, Bennett’s hit is in the past. His desire for a win on Thursday trumps his need for payback.

“It was a little bit late, but it’s hockey. Hockey is hockey,” the Sharks defenseman said. “It’s one month ago. I must play hard tomorrow and I want to win.”

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