Whether you call him “Turtleboy,” “The Turtle,” or “Chucky,” Matthew Tkachuk is back in action! So, while this was great news for the Florida Panthers, it turned into a real headache for the Tampa Bay Lightning. What’s going on? If you haven’t been keeping up with the Stanley Cup Playoffs, here’s a quick rundown for you. The Panthers kicked off their 2025 Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a solid 1-0 lead, thanks to a strong 6-2 win in Game 1. So, can you believe who turned out to be Tampa Bay’s kryptonite? Without a doubt, Chucky!

Tkachuk really made his presence felt in his comeback after being out for 25 games with an injury. He scored two power-play goals and even chipped in with an assist! But, some drama popped up for the forward when he came back. What are the doubts? So, a lot of people were wondering how Tkachuk got cleared to play in the playoffs right after coming back from his injury. You know, besides that, after their big win in Game 1, one of Chucky’s teammates talked about how much of an impact he has in the Panthers’ locker room.

On FloridaHockeyNow’s YouTube channel, Gustav Forsling opens up, saying, “Yeah, I mean, he always brings energy when he’s in the lineup, and we were excited for him. He’s been working really hard to get back here, and we’re happy to have him back.” Despite being on the injured reserve list, Matthew Tkachuk showed up to training many times, so he must have been putting in a lot of effort. He was that dedicated! So, when someone asked, “What’s the biggest thing that comes to mind when it comes to Matthew’s vocal leadership?”

Gus said, “I mean, he’s such a big part of our team and our core. He brings the calm. He’s been here before, and I think everyone knows what he can do on the ice, but he’s huge for us off the ice, too.” Since Tkachuk joined the team, he’s really helped create a culture where accountability and resilience thrive. He leads by communicating directly and is totally dedicated to the success of the team.

Matthew makes sure that the opponent on ice remembers his face before chirping anything, but in the locker room, he turns into the Chucky that the Panthers adore. “I mean, he’s one of the guys that’s absolutely talking the most in the locker room. It’s great. You need those kind of guys,” Forsling said about his teammate. Definitely, his return was super important for the Panthers! So, how did Florida do in this game?

Matthew Tkachuk and team obliterated the opponents

“Yeah, it’s been crushing me the last little bit. I’ve been wanting to get out there so bad. I think the first couple of games after that four nations, it was, you know, you really want to be out there, but it’s probably good, you know, to try to get some rest and get recovered and everything. But for the last month and a little bit, I’ve just been itching so badly,” Matthew Tkachuk shared while chatting with Kay Adams.

Basically, Chucky was looking to join a game and just do his thing. So, he definitely showed up against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After that groin injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off, Tkachuk was really eager to get back on the ice. And you know what? He totally took apart Tampa Bay’s defense by scoring two goals. And as if that wasn’t enough, he also got an assist! However, how did his teammates perform?

Nate Schmidt chipped in with two goals, and both Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart got in on the action with a goal and an assist each. Sergei Bobrovsky, the goaltender, made 20 saves to help clinch the win. On the flip side, Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy had a tough game, giving up six goals on only 16 shots. Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point also managed to find the net for the Lightning. It seems like a bunch of Lightning fans might be in for a tough time if the Panthers keep up their strong performance on the ice.