Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick came to teammate Brendan Lemieux's defense Sunday when asked about Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk's scathing remarks regarding Lemieux following Saturday's apparent biting incident.
"I have my own opinion about what happened, or did not happen (Saturday) night, and what I can tell you is that any comments that were made about (Lemieux) were garbage," Quick said, according to Kings editorial content manager Zach Dooley. "He's a valuable player who sticks up for his teammates. We all support him, and I'd rather have him on my team over that kid any day of the week."
Tkachuk showed the officials his bare hand Saturday after the two forwards tussled in the third period of the Kings' 4-2 win.
Tkachuk lambasted Lemieux after Saturday's game. The Senators winger called Lemieux's behavior "the most gutless thing somebody could ever do." Tkachuk also said, "nobody ever wants to play with (Lemieux)," then called him a "bad guy and a bad teammate," an "absolute joke," and "a complete 'brickhead.'"
The Kings forward was handed a match penalty for the incident, and both players also received two roughing minors apiece.
The NHL will have an in-person hearing with Lemieux over Zoom on Tuesday. The in-person designation gives the league the ability to suspend him for more than five games.