How does that old adage go again? If you can’t beat ’em on the scoreboard, just jump the other team’s third-line centre and beat him instead?
It was a good night for the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals as they got their championship rings, unveiled their championship banner and showed their championship form in a a 7-0 walloping of the Boston Bruins.
Washington third-line centreman Lars Eller scored the Capitals’ seventh goal of the evening midway through the third period Wednesday night and chirped the Boston bench on his way off the ice after potting the marker.
This must’ve rubbed Bruins star Brad Marchand the wrong way because about three minutes later, Marchand essentially ambushed Eller and got in a few heavy shots to the face.
Marchand received a two-minute minor for instigating, five minutes for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct, while Eller got five for fighting.
After the contest, Marchand explained why he decided to engage Eller the way he did, saying he was displeased with the way Eller celebrated a 7-0 goal and that he had to “let him know.”
Brad Marchand on why he fought Lars Eller: "His celebration was unnecessary. He took an angle in front of our bench and celebrated in a 7-0 game. So I just let him know."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) October 4, 2018
And, for what’s it’s worth Marchand’s Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy was perfectly fine with what his winger did as well.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy on Marchand going after Eller: "That's good. He's a proud guy. I think Eller celebrated a little on a 7-0 goal. I think that's his prerogative and Marchy let him know that that's not acceptable. That's that and we move on."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) October 4, 2018
Capitals forward T.J. Oshie is less forgiving of Marchand’s actions, however. Citing the 20-game suspension that his teammate Tom Wilson was hit with, Oshie believes Marchand’s actions were at least equally as “dirty” and that Wilson’s hit on the St. Louis Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist that earned him the extra discipline was “on the ice.”
“I think it’s unfortunate for Tom that the league is making an example out of him,” Oshie told reporters after the game. “They set the standards. They want to get the dirty stuff out of the game which, at least, Tom’s play was on the ice and he was hitting a guy who had the puck milliseconds before. And then you see out there tonight the sucker punches that Lars took in. So they set the standard, Marchand has a history and we trust that they’ll do what they’re supposed to do.”
Marchand is a player known to play with an edge and has a reputation of getting under his opponents’ skin, but this was clearly crossing the line.
It’s uncertain at the moment if any extra discipline will be heading Marchand’s way.
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