Drew Doughty was the center of attention Tuesday night in Calgary, and he made the most of it.
The Los Angeles Kings defender was booed relentlessly by the Saddledome fans as a result of his ongoing feud with Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, but he delivered a three-point performance that included the overtime winner and then a spirited celebration. Afterward, Doughty said he relished the opportunity to send the fans home with a loss.
"Oh yeah. As much as I love getting booed every time I touch the puck, you kinda wanna shove it in their faces," he said in the locker room, via TSN. "And before that overtime started I knew I had a great opportunity and I was like, 'Every time I get that puck I'm ripping it.'"
The rivalry between Doughty and Tkachuk dates back two seasons from when the Flames star was suspended two games for an elbow to the head of the former Norris Trophy winner. The animosity between them has been persistent ever since, and Doughty fueled the fire ahead of Tuesday's game by saying, "We both know who the better player is" when asked for his thoughts on Tkachuk.
Tkachuk also had a big game on Tuesday, as he registered three points, including a late equalizer that sent the contest to overtime.
He and Doughty won't have to wait long to renew hostilities, as their clubs will clash on Oct. 19 in Los Angeles.
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