Rangers Forward ‘Didn’t Really Appreciate’ Tussle With Bruins Blueliner

It was an eventful Bruins preseason opener last Sunday, but one Rangers forward “didn’t really appreciate” one highlight incident.

Boston lost its preseason opener to New York as head coach Jim Montgomery got his first look at multiple Bruins prospects.

Parker Wotherspoon took an out-of-nowhere hit from Brennan Othmann, and it didn’t take long for the B’s blueliner to retaliate. The 27-year-old knocked the Rangers forward down, and after their interaction, he tossed Othmann’s helmet aside. It was something the 21-year-old didn’t respect three days later.

“I respect him for coming in like that,” Othmann told reporters Wednesday, per Peter Baugh of The Athletic. “Nothing really happened. No punches were really thrown. It was more grab and tussle. I didn’t really appreciate him smacking my head off the ice a little bit and throwing my helmet. …I respect him for coming in and wanting to fight. But it just didn’t really sit well with me that he had to do that considering he played in the NHL basically last year and I’m just a young kid. I get it. I have to answer the bell sometimes. But that situation there, I just didn’t really appreciate that just considering his status.”

Per Baugh, Othmann noted that he and Wotherspoon “battled” in the AHL and have mutual respect. There could be more history written between the pair if they don’t make it onto their respective NHL rosters.