The Boston Bruins dodged a bullet Monday night, but the jury remains out if it’ll remain that way going forward.
Late in the second period of the B’s 3-0 Game 6 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets to claim the second-round Stanley Cup playoff matchup, Charlie McAvoy laid a big hit on Josh Anderson. It’s clear McAvoy ultimately made contact with Anderson’s head, but whether or not his intent was to injure and if the principal point of contact was the body was left in the hands of the officials.
They decided not to give the B’s defenseman a major and match penalty, rather hitting him with a two-minute minor for an illegal check to the head. It has not been determined yet if McAvoy will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety for the hit.
After the game, Some players and coaches gave their take on the play.
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated that he thought McAvoy’s elbow was down.
“I thought he — first of all I can’t see in front of their bench, but I saw the replay,” Cassidy said, as seen on NESN’s Bruins postgame coverage. “It looks like his elbow was down, went through the body. They called a two-minute minor, we killed it off and off we went.”
John Tortorella, who can be one for many or few words depending on how he’s feeling that day, didn’t want to get into it.
“I’m not going to discuss that,” Tortorella said, via FOX Sports Ohio. “It’s a huge moment, but I’m not going to discuss what was told to me (by the referees).”
After the game, Anderson and McAvoy met for a moment at the handshake line, and it did not appear to be contentious.
