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Brad Marchand Calls Lindy Ruff a ‘Big Shot,’ Blasts Sabres Coach for ‘Disrespectful’ Timeout

BOSTON — Many thought Thursday night’s Bruins-Sabres game would begin with some fireworks and controversy. However, it was what happened in the game’s final seconds that has some people talking.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff called a timeout with just 13.6 seconds to play and his team leading 7-4. Ruff defended the move by saying he didn’t like having Lane MacDermid, a noted fighter, lined up against one of his own skill guys.

So, he called timeout and changed things up, which involved sending John Scott over the bench to keep the peace, so to speak.

“MacDermid was with one of our skill players,” Ruff said after the game. “I didn’t want anything to happen. That’s really what it all was about.”

That didn’t go over with at least one Bruins player.

“Yeah, [Ruff] wants to be a big shot, and that’s not the best play to do,” Brad Marchand said. “That’s pretty disrespectful. If he wants to be like that, that’s fine. We just have to move on.”

Bruins coach Claude Julien was a little less agitated with the move, but just as confused.

“I don’t know. I don’t know why he took it. I really don’t know. He’s entitled to it, so you just play along with it. He might have thought something was gonna happen, which wasn’t. But that’s probably for him to answer. I don’t know.”