BRIGHTON – Brad Marchand wasn’t going to let Sam Bennett off the hook completely for his Game 3 gloved sucker punch, with the butt of the stick in hand, that knocked the Bruins captain out of the last few playoff series games against the Panthers.
Brad Marchand will now miss his second consecutive game tonight because of this disgusting act by Sam Bennett.
— Nate Hamilton (@DomiNateFF) May 14, 2024
Is the NHL going to do something about this?pic.twitter.com/qI7JNGu65z
There was no penalty on the sneak dirty play and there was zero punishment from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety despite camera angles that clearly showed a punch to the face, but Marchand conceded that the hardnosed Florida forward “got away with a shot.” But having been fined and suspended more than any other player in NHL history, Marchand also understands that those kinds of punishing, borderline plays are what end up leading to winning hockey in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Agree or disagree, Marchand has won a Cup and knows exactly what he’s talking about.
"I think he got away with a shot, but I'm not going to complain. Shit happens. It's definitely part of playoff hockey,” said Marchand, who practiced fully with the Bruins on Thursday morning and appears trending toward a return to game action in Friday night’s Game 6 against Florida. “I’ve been on the other side of a lot of plays, and I think he got away with one. It’s part of the game. It sucks to be on the other side of it, but stuff happens. I’m not going to complain about it. It’s part of the playoffs. People don't want to say it, but part of the playoffs is trying to hurt every player on the other team.
"The more guys you take out, the more of an advantage your team has. People don't say it, but it's just a fact of the game. Every time you step on the ice, someone’s trying to hurt someone [else]. That's just how it goes in playoffs. Anytime you can get an advantage on another team, it’s going to help your team win. It's part of the benefit of having a physical group. That’s why you see teams go the distance with a big D corps and physical teams, and you rarely see teams go far [in the playoffs] that are small and skilled ... because they get hurt.”
Marchand was a full practice participant skating left wing on a line with Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic on Thursday morning at Warrior Ice Arena and hasn’t been ruled out from playing on Friday night. Jim Montgomery said there are a few more tests the Bruins captain needs to pass before he can play, but it sure feels like a return is on tap for No. 63 in another do-or-die game for the Black and Gold.
“It’s great. It’s very tough to watch this time of year,” said Marchand. “You want to be a part of it. It’s good to be back out there and be around the energy and the emotion with those guys.”
Certainly, Marchand enjoyed his stint as an inspirational figure when his B’s teammates had his jersey hanging up for their Game 5 win against Florida, all while he encouraged them before, during, and after periods as a vocal supporter.
Do it for The Cap. pic.twitter.com/oXqmu6shE2
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 14, 2024
But suiting up and playing is where it’s at for Marchand.
“I just wanted to be part. It’s very tough to watch this time of year and not be involved. It’s very stressful,” said Marchand. “So I just wanted to be in there with the guys and be a part of it. It helps when you’re not playing to be in the room with the guys and to be talking to them.
“I love this group. I love every guy on the team.
“Moments like this show how close we get and how much we mean to each other. There are a lot of things that happen, on and off the ice, through the year that people don’t even know about and just show how close of a group we have. You don’t get that everywhere and that’s what makes us all grateful to be a part of this team.”
Then, of course, there’s the impact player that Boston will get back into the lineup as well. Marchand is still tied with Jake DeBrusk for the team lead in playoff points (10) despite missing the last two games, and he’s the only point-per-game postseason performer this spring on a B’s group that’s going to need all the offense they can muster against the Panthers.
“You can’t put a number on it or put a percentage on it emotionally,” said Montgomery. “He’s our leader, he’s our captain and he’s our heart and soul.”
Judging by his words and attitude, Marchand is ready to do whatever he can to help push Boston over the top in a must-win situation against Florida.
“That’s playoff hockey. Maybe people don’t like it, but it’s not soccer. It’s not basketball,” said Marchand of the brutally physical Stanley Cup playoffs. “It’s the hardest Trophy to win. You’re going to sacrifice your body or hurt other guys or do whatever it takes to win. If you don’t like it, then don’t play in the playoffs.”
ONE TIMERS
*Pavel Zacha is still without a goal in the playoffs in 12 games now as a member of the Boston Bruins and was dropped to centering the third line ahead of Game 5 against the Panthers. Zacha didn’t have any points in 19:56 of solid ice time against the Panthers in Game 5 while skating with James van Riemsdyk and Justin Brazeau and was centering Danton Heinen and Brazeau during Thursday’s practice ahead of a do-or-die Game 6.
“Even with him being put at center on the third line, I think he leads our forwards in minutes in the last game,” said Montgomery. “So he’s so important to everything [we do]. I just thought it would give us an advantage, and it has in the balance of how all of our lines work.”
*Montgomery had a long, animated chat with Johnny Beecher ahead of Bruins practice on Thursday morning after he had a tough turnover in Game 5 and registered just 8:22 of ice time in a tight do-or-die kind of game.
“We believe in you and there’s a reason why you’re being put in those moments,” said Montgomery, of what he said to Beecher. “We had a really good conversation on the ice about that. And you find out where players’ minds are at and if they immerse themselves in the moment. You don’t want to get too high, and you don’t want to get too low, it’s the playoffs.”