For years now, Brad Marchand has been regarded as one of the top instigators not just on the Bruins roster, but in the entire NHL.
On Monday night, though, there was a different preeminent pest for the Black and Gold.
Tyler Bertuzzi employed a unique gamesmanship tactic in Boston’s series-opening win over Florida at TD Garden. Shifting off the ice alongside Nick Cousins, Bertuzzi swiped the Panthers winger’s stick and took it back to the Bruins bench. Boston’s trade deadline acquisition even tried to put an exclamation point on the sequence when he attempted to snap the stick.
Considering Marchand initially made a name for himself in the NHL as an edgy player who often toed the line, no one should be surprised by the Bruins star’s reaction to Bertuzzi’s thievery.
“I saw that yesterday. … He’s a little greaseball. I love it,” Marchand told reporters Wednesday morning, per Boston.com’s Conor Ryan.
On a more serious note, the onus once again will be on the likes of Marchand and Bertuzzi to set and maintain the tone for the Bruins on Wednesday night. Boston will be forced to play Game 2 of the best-of-seven first-round series without captain Patrice Bergeron, who no longer is sick but is dealing with an injury.
Puck drop for Wednesday night’s tilt at TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. NESN’s full coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.
