That rugged physicality is something the Saskatchewan-raised Pachal takes pride in, but even in that moment, he knew he had to do whatever he could to stay on the right side of the law when he spied Chinakhov cutting across the middle of the Flames zone.
“I think anytime you want to make those hits, you want to try to be clean,” Pachal said Monday after a brisk skate in Columbus. “I think I've had a few since my time in the NHL, and I feel like they've all been pretty clean.
“This one was just kind of a one-on-three, and I knew that he was just, by the way that he was moving, that he was gonna try to cut middle. I just kind of waited for it, and then stepped into him when I could.”
When checks like Pachal’s land as crisply, as cleanly as that second-period jolt Saturday, it gives the whole team a rise, too.
And for Pachal, it’s a source of pride, something he says helps separate him from other defenders around the NHL.
“I think I've had it my whole career, kind of been an open-ice hitter and a heavy guy to play against,” he said. “So whenever you can execute on a play like that, it feels good.”
Like Pachal, Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska grew up playing in the Western Hockey League - a circuit known for a hard-nosed style of play.
But even the bench boss admitted those types of plays are few and far between nowadays.
‘You don’t often see hits like that anymore in the open ice,” Huska said following the Flames’ 2-1 win in Pittsburgh Saturday. “That used to be something that was a common thing.
“A good, hard, clean hit like that, you don’t often see, so it did bring some energy to the bench.”
Pachal says he - like many a Canadian youth - grew up watching highlight tapes like the Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em series, and he points to then-Bruins defender Torey Krug’s check on Blues forward Robert Thomas in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final as a hit that took his breath away as a viewer.
And make no mistake, when the opportunity arises, Pachal’s more than ready to pick his spot.
“I think it's just kind of like a shocking moment a little bit, almost,” he grinned. “Gets all the guys going and it's something that I bring in my game.
“It's kind of just a fun part of the game that you don't see as much anymore.”
