It’s not too often the Boston Bruins will see their top-pairing defenseman Charlie McAvoy exchange pleasantries with an opposing player, but that was the case Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers and specifically Joel Farabee.
McAvoy greeted Farabee with three right-handed punches after pushing Philadelphia’s left winger to the ground following an exchange along the boards. McAvoy ragdolled the 21-year-old fellow Boston University product in what certainly was an easy win, and Farabee’s helmet coming off and jersey over his head was all the proof you need.
The Bruins defenseman was asked after Boston’s 5-2 win at Wells Fargo Center if there was anything that led up to the scrap.
“I don’t really, I don’t even know. I was a little bit, I don’t know, the shift before they kind of went after (Patrice Bergeron), which I don’t think anyone really appreciates,” McAvoy said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “And then I got kind of slashed in the back of the leg for, I don’t even know for any reason after a play, and I was just a little bit heated. And things happen in hockey, it moves fast.
“I didn’t necessarily seek him out and ask for that to happen. But I think cooler heads prevail afterwards, but, you know, in the thick of it it was just something that happened, like like all of them,” McAvoy continued. “And hopefully it lifted our team. We ended up winning so I guess it all worked out.”
The Bruins went on to out-score the Flyers 3-0 in the final 30 minutes of the contest after McAvoy’s fight. It seemingly lit a little fire under Boston, especially those on bench, as the Bruins controlled the remainder of the game after allowing Philadelphia to erase their previous two-goal lead.
The Bruins return to action Sunday against the Calgary Flames at TD Garden. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET and you can watch it live on NESN.
