Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports
Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended three games including the 2016 Winter Classic matchup against the Canadiens on Friday. The forward was suspended on a low hit he delivered to Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki on Tuesday. The un-penalized hit came at 8:41 in the first period when Marchand came into contact with Borowiecki, dropping slightly low and cutting into the defenseman’s legs causing him to flip over the Bruins’ back. While the ref made no call on Marchand on the ice, the Department of Player Safety called the hit “late” and “low” upon review.
“Marchand dips his shoulder, gets low, and cuts sharply into Borowiecki’s legs, sending him cartwheeling dangerously into the air,” the video published by the Department of Player Safety explained. “This is clipping. It is important to note that in addition to the extremely low point of contact, Borowiecki is not eligible to be checked in any manner, let alone with a sudden check thrown at knee level.”
Marchand explained after the game that he had not intended to hit Borowiecki that way, claiming that it was unintentional and that he had just been going after the puck. The Department of Player Safety stated in their video that, despite the intention of the hit, it was Marchand’s responsibility to avoid this type of contact.
This is not the first time that Marchand has been involved in such disciplinary actions; he has been suspended three times previously, and has also been fined in the past. The Department of Player Safety took Marchand’s disciplinary history into consideration and labeled him a repeat offender after the hit on the Ottawa defenseman.The suspension will cost Marchand $164,634.15, which will be sent to the Players’ Emergency Fund, and participation in the Winter Classic. The Bruins will take the ice on Friday for the Winter Classic without two top players due to Marchand’s suspension and forward Davud Krejci’s injury.
