Boston, MA - February 13: Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery talks to his players during overtime. The Bruins lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2, in a shootout. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Bruins’ Brad Marchand Injured on Sam Bennett’s Sucker Punch.
The Boston Bruins lost Game 3 by a score of 6-2 to the Florida Panthers on Friday, May 10, but they might have lost something even more important going forward.
Bruins captain Brad Marchand was absent from the Saturday, May 11, practice. Head coach Jim Montgomery confirmed his forward is “day-to-day” with an “upper-body injury,” via Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub.
On top of that, Montgomery expanded on his thoughts about what happened to Marchand in Game 3. The captain was forced out of the game early after a collision with Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett occurred in the first period.
“In real-time, my eyes weren’t on there. Having seen it, there’s a history there with Bennett,” Montgomery said on Saturday, via Ty Anderson (the statement has been confirmed by other journalists including ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski). “There’s clearly evidence of what went on.”
Following Saturday’s practice and Jim Montgomery’s comments, David Pagnotta reported on May 11 that the NHL won’t suspend or discipline Bennett for the hit.
Did Sam Bennett Deliver a Punch on Brad Marchand’s Head?
Initially, not many were aware of what had happened on the ice in the action between Marchand and Bennett. Both collided in a heavy hit that made the Bruins captain fall to the ice.
In a story published on the morning of May 11 on Heavy reporting on Jim Montgomery’s postgame comments and taking the blame for the loss, Marchand’s injury was discussed briefly.
