BOSTON — Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand will not play in Game 4 because of an upper-body injury. Coach Jim Montgomery classified Marchand as day to day. Montgomery declined to answer whether Marchand had suffered a concussion.
The Bruins believe Marchand was injured by Sam Bennett during a first-period collision in Game 3. Slow-motion video replay appears to show Bennett punching Marchand in the head with his right hand. Marchand played for two periods but did not return in the third.
Marchand appeared to be in some pain after taking a hit from Bennett. pic.twitter.com/MWsczrMDOU
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 10, 2024
“I think it pisses off everyone,” Trent Frederic said of Bennett’s punch and its consequences. “I think this whole team kind of ticks everyone off, to be honest. There’s some individuals, obviously, that make guys more frustrated, more mad. Maybe it’s frustration. You’ve still got to go out and do the job. We’re still down 2-1, trying to make it 2-2.”
Bennett was not penalized for the play and was not subject to supplemental discipline.
“I don’t think I classified it as dirty,” Montgomery said following the Bruins’ optional morning skate on Sunday. “I just thought it was outside the lines. I think it’s someone that plays the game on the edge. And he knew what he was doing. I don’t know if you’ve seen the picture from behind. But there’s clearly… he loaded up.”
The Bruins did not respond during the game on Bennett. They were unaware the center had thrown a punch.
“I feel it’s my fault that we didn’t retaliate to some degree,” Montgomery said. “But you’re trying to get back in the game. It’s 1-0 up until they get the four-minute power play. Then we start the third and we score right away. Now we’ve got juices going. There’s reasons why we didn’t. That’s something I personally take responsibility for.”
The Bruins may ask Bennett to answer for the incident in Game 4. If so, it’s unknown whether Bennett would have the green light to respond. In Game 2, David Pastrnak accepted Matthew Tkachuk’s invitation to fight.
“There can be a time in the game where that could happen,” Frederic said. “That’s something we might address. It’s a 2-1 series. We’ve got to be smart too. We’ve given them a lot of power plays already. Try to limit it and do it in a smart way.”
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