Panthers' Tkachuk embraces boos, scores in acrimonious return to Ottawa

Brady Tkachuk knew exactly what awaited him in Ottawa — and he greeted it with a smile.

The Florida Panthers star returned to the Canadian capital on Wednesday for the first time since requesting a trade last spring that sent him to Florida in a June blockbuster. The Senators faithful didn't hold back: boos rained down from warmups on, and several of his former No. 7 sweaters were tossed onto the ice in protest of the acrimonious split.

Tkachuk made the first mark on the scoresheet, ripping a power-play goal halfway through the first period. Tim Stutzle answered on Ottawa's own power play to tie it 1-1 through 20 minutes, and it was all Senators from there in a 5-1 rout — Tkachuk's strike the only Florida goal of the night.

The night was as chippy as expected. Artem Zub leveled Tkachuk along the boards early, and Tkachuk visited the penalty box twice for roughing in the third period as the score got out of hand. Even a 'Welcome Back' tribute video early in the game couldn't soften the reception, and goalie Linus Ullmark exited late after a collision with Tkachuk's older brother, Matthew.

Afterward, Tkachuk took it all in stride. 'Were they ruthless?' he joked. 'No, it was good. Shows the passion.' He called his eight years in Ottawa full of 'great moments' and said he was glad the night was behind him: 'It's over and done with. It's a thing of the past.'