Montreal fans have not let up on the debate over Zdeno Chara's hit on Max Pacioretty from last week, and they weren't going to let Bruce Boudreau's recent comments pass by without a response.
Canadiens fan protest organizer, Victor Henriquez, fired back at Boudreau for his comments on Tuesday, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Capitals' head coach spoke out about the fan protest — which took place before the Capitals-Canadiens Tuesday night matchup – saying that fans shouldn't go to hockey games if they don't like violent hits.
"I think the players realize that they can get hurt," Boudreau said. "But unless you've played and see what goes on at the speed of the game, you're not going to be able to argue with it," he said.
Henriquez took an issue with Boudreau's comments, arguing that the fan protest is a collective way for angered Montreal fans to make their voices heard. In his statement to Boudreau, Henriquez wanted to remind the coach just how important those hockey fans are.
"Mr. Boudreau has to remember who pays his salary," Henriquez said. "Guys like him are paid by fans. If fans want to protest, I don't think anybody should judge what fans want on the ice. It's unacceptable. But he has the right to have his opinion. We're in a free land."
The protest organizer went on to add that Boudreau should not assume that fans want to see violent hits, and emphasized the importance of the fans' voice and opinion.
"Too often, people like Bruce Boudreau say it's part of the game and it's what fans like," Henriquez said. "I'm sorry, it's not part of the game and it's not what we want."
According to the fans' protest demands, they are looking for new regulations and punishments for hits to the head in hockey, and are looking for continued fan support for players like Pacioretty who is still unsure of his future playing status.
