Panthers center Sam Bennett insists there was no ill intent behind the controversial hit he delivered Friday night at TD Garden.
Bennett made his second-round Stanley Cup playoff series debut in Game 3 against the Bruins, and his presence was quickly felt. The veteran forward delivered a rough hit on Brad Marchand in the first period, and on certain video angles of the play, Bennett appears to purposely strike the Boston captain in the head. Marchand was forced to leave Friday's game early due to injury, and he was not in the lineup for Sunday night's loss either.
To make the situation more maddening for Bruins fans, Bennett was one of Florida's three goal scorers in the visitors' third straight victory. After the 3-2 decision in Game 4, the 27-year-old was asked about the incident that might have ended Marchand's season.
"On that play, obviously I'm not trying to punch him in the head like everyone's saying," Bennett told the NHL on TNT crew. "Other people can have different opinions. I'm just bracing myself for him coming to hit me. There's no way I would have had time to think about punching him in the head. People can see it however they want. It's playoff hockey. There's going to be hard plays. Obviously, it's unfortunate he got hit, but that's just a hockey play in my mind."
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Jim Montgomery unsurprisingly didn't agree with Bennett's view of the play. The Bruins head coach didn't go as far as labeling the hit "dirty," but he doubled down on his belief that Bennett knew what he was doing when he hit Marchand high.
But at this point, the Bruins can't afford to dwell on any of Bennett's controversies. Boston must focus on trying to keep its season alive when it visits Florida for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
Featured image via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
