NHL Weekly Awards: Fighters, Fakers, And Freakouts

We're back with another freshly baked batch of OutKick's NHL Weekly Awards!

I hope this one taste's alright. I burned the last bath and had to start over...

We've got a doozy of an NHL (and college) hockey highlight harvest this week. Some fisticuffs, a freakout, and a bit of over-acting that would make modern-day Pacino say, "Jeez, real it in guy."

We also have an old NHL Weekly Award favorite to reclaim an award that bears his name.

I'm excited, you're excited, and your wife/girlfriend is indifferent at best: let's hand out some awards.

Best Post-Buzzer Freak Out: Matthew Tkachuk

The Florida Panthers suffered a wildly frustrating loss to the Buffalo Sabres last week, and Matthew Tkachuk was none too pleased about the Sabres trying to shoot at his team's empty cage after the final horn.

The Panthers had just unloaded a barrage of 54 shots on Craig Anderson who stopped all but one of them. That's maddening as it is, but Tkachuk wouldn't stand for the lack of respect in shooting at the empty net after the regulation.

This season has been a letdown for the Panthers considering they were en route to a Presidents' Trophy at this time last year as the NHL's best team in the regular season. Now, the Panthers might be able to sneak into a wild card spot, but a top 3 seed in the top-loaded Atlantic Division is essentially out of the question.

The Sabres are currently ahead of them in the standings, making that loss even more of a problem,

Okay, maybe Tkachuk's rage is entirely justified...

Most Likely To Get A Scholarship To Julliard: Jakub Dobeš

Ohio State netminder Jakub Dobeś unloaded an acting job so spectacular I was prepared for James Lipton to rise from the dead and interview him.

It happened in a Big Ten clash between the Buckeyes and the Minnesota Golden Gophers when a Minnesota forward skated by Dobeš. Maybe there was a little bit of contact, but it was minimal.

Still, the 2020 Montreal Canadiens draft pick sprawled out like a sniper had just him from the rafters.

It was a bit much. Okay; it was a lot a bit much.

Still, even one o the best acting jobs you'll see on ice short of the Ice Capades wasn't enough to keep the Buckeyes from dropping both games of their weekend series with the Gophers.

Fastest To Know He Was Going To Have To Drop The Gloves: Michael Pezzetta

I've got to admit, I've watched this video a bunch and I have no idea how Michael Pezzetta knew to drop the gloves so fast.

It was like a Spidey-Sense thing, The second he put Erik Branstrom through the first layer of the Earth's crust, Pazetta one of the other Senators would step in to fight.

Pezzetta was barely back to his feet before he shook off his mitts and tried to find a dance partner, and he found one in Austin Watson.

Each one got a couple of shots in, but it was far from the best fight of the week (which we will get to in due time; hang tight, pal).

It was a hard albeit squeaky clean hit that started the whole thing. I don't normally like to see fights started by clean hits, but at the same time, you've got to hand it to Watson for stepping in to stick up for his guy.

Self-Inflicted Wound Of The Week: Max Domi

Max Domi got himself a trip to the dentist on Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks.

Scott Harrington (no relation to Al Harrington as far as I'm aware to AL Harrington; owner, president, and CEO of Al Harrington's Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm-Flailing Tubeman Emporium and Warehouse) attempted to get a stick on the puck only to Domi lif this stick.

It was a good bit of pressure from Domi, only he knocked Harrington's twig directly into his own face.

Domi lost some teeth on the play and was irate at the non-call. Buuuuuut, if you watch that again, it was a good non-call.

The Blackhawks came out on top in this one, 4-3.

Side note: the next day, Harrington was part of a deal that sent him down the coast to the Anaheim Ducks. This is a good time for a reminder that the NHL trade deadline is on Friday.

Milan Lucic Moment Of The Week: Milan Lucic

It's been a while since we've heard from our old pal Milan Lucic, but he is back with some more award-worthy Lucician antics.

Lucic and Kurtis MacDermid wouldn't let a pair of linesmen keep them from trying to pound each other's faces in. They broke free and squared up for one hell of a heavyweight bout.

Both fellas got some great shots in, but one of Lucic's rights caught MacDermid square in the mug and bought him a one-way ticket to the ice.

Fortunately, both dudes seemed okay after that tilt, which was a doozy, and probably one of the best we're going to see all season.

Just some fantastic, old-time hockey-style fisticuffs. Very Lucician.

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That was fun. Whatdya say we do it again next week? Alright, let's make it happen. If you see anything award-worthy send it to me on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle