A gripping new six-part docuseries spotlighting life in the NHL debuts Thursday, October 4 on Amazon Prime Video. "Faceoff: Inside the NHL" peels back the curtain on the lives of the incredible athletes behind the goals, assists and saves.
Our Short Shifts team will recap each episode of the series, bringing you our favorite moments and highlights from the show.
Episode 3: "Learning to Win"
Players featured: Jeremy Swayman, Matthew Tkachuk
Episode synopsis: Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman and Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk battle in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second season in a row. The two competitors dig deep to put their best foot forward in the heated series that builds off the emotions of the
2023 playoffs.
Funniest moment: With dad Keith Tkachuk grilling in the backyard, brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk re-ignited their sibling rivalry with a competitive round of backyard golf. Immediately the two are jawing at each other, trying to get the upper hand in the competition. Wouldn’t expect anything else from the brothers. “Usually the older sibling takes it easy and maybe gives a win once in a while, but not Matthew,” Brady, the captain of the Ottawa Senators said. "He wanted to win every single time we played, and I think that’s what made both of us who we are."
Moving moments: After the heartbreaking series loss to the Panthers, with the Boston crowd cheering his name, Swayman skates around the TD Garden ice for the final time that season, taking in the crowd and the moment. “I was just thinking about that jersey like, ‘Is it the last time?’ ... You’re skating around the Garden and you’re looking up and hearing your name chanted and it’s like, ‘Woah. F---,’” Swayman said.
Honorable mention: While delving into the history of the Tkachuk family, the documentary shows a young Matthew and Brady skating around the ice with sister Taryn after dad Keith’s last NHL game. After the last lap, the two boys are seen alone on the ice playing 1-on-1 hockey. “Everybody is starting to leave the rink. There’s only two people on the ice, and it was just me and [Brady] playing 1-on-1 against each other. ... We would just chip it in the corner and go full out on each other,” said Matthew.
Quotable: Swayman talking about playing against Tkachuk on the biggest stages: “Even though he’s a pest to play against, you respect a guy like that because that’s what makes these games so incredible to win. Over a series, you can eliminate players. And he’s a guy that didn’t allow himself to be eliminated from the series and that’s something I can tip my cap to. Probably don’t want to hear this but I definitely look up to him in a way. The fact that he wills himself and his
team to win games, and I want to be like that.”
This is Hockey Life: Leading up to the second consecutive playoff series with the Panthers, Swayman breaks down the process of forgetting the seven-game loss to the same team the year prior. “Even if it has creeped into guys’ minds, it’s not going to be vocalized. Why would we worry about something that’s happened in the past? For me, it’s about the here and now and that’s allowed me to approach this game with such gusto and happiness and excitement, because
it's another opportunity,” Swayman said.
Hockey Players, They’re Just Like Us: Tkachuk shares his pregame ritual before every home game: Going to the beach for a quick swim. Who doesn’t love a good beach trip? “The first time I did it, we played Boston in Game 5 and won in overtime... I think that’s a big reason why I felt pretty fresh for most of the games,” Tkachuk said. On his way to the beach, he parks his golf cart and, like the rest of us, does what he can to avoid paying for parking before a quick dip.
