Bruins Fans Will Love Brad Marchand’s Lighthearted Jokes Before Penguins Game

BOSTON — Before the Boston Bruins take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden on Thursday night, captain Brad Marchand took some time to reflect on his time in the league.

During an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show”, the host quipped that Marchand not only changed the pronunciation of his name but his game as well.

McAfee referred to Marchand as a pest, a menace and someone who was always looking to stir things up, and the Boston forward interrupted to throw in another reference.

“Really good looking,” Marchand said to a stunned McAfee. “That’s what I like to tell myself anyway.”

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As a well-known Penguins fan, McAfee took the opportunity to jab Marchand ahead of Thursday night’s matchup by pretty much asking the captain if he was afraid to face Pittsburgh.

“You nailed it. A lot of fear, anxiety, a struggle to get through the day,” Marchand joked. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to eat, but I’m excited it should be good.”

Marchand has played against Sidney Crosby his entire professional career, but the duo have played on the same line at the national level for Team Canada.

“He’s incredible. Just a great guy,” Marchand said of Crosby. “Actually, I grew up watching him play. Every year I was supposed to play against him, he was so good he would move up a level. (He’s) the guy my dad would actually tell me to try and copy some of the things he would do and part of my game and the way I protect pucks and stuff is because I watched him growing up.”

Being friends with Crosby isn’t the reason Marchand won’t attempt to antagonize in games though. The reason is much more hockey-related.

“He’s not a guy that I like to try to get involved with on the ice as well as guys that can take over a game,” Marchand explained. “So, I try to pick out guys that can’t do that. They got a few of them on the team, so I try and just keep quiet against them.”

McAfee asked Marchand to just sit the game out to give the Penguins a better chance of beating the Bruins, but he wasn’t having any of that. In 46 games against the Pittsburgh, Marchand has 18 goals and 22 assists.

“We’re still going for bragging rights, right?” Marchand said. “I can’t take it easy, but I’ll just leave him alone.”

Thursday marks the first meeting between the two clubs, but the Bruins hold a 12-8-0 record over the Penguins in their last 20 games. Boston won four of the six matchups in the 2022-23 season.

The Bruins currently sit atop the Eastern Conference with 52 points and are seeking their fifth straight win, while the Penguins are 11th with 40 points.