Bruins’ Matthew Poitras Calls Out Flyers Defenseman For ‘Sucker Punch’

Boston Bruins fans’ eyes weren’t deceived midway through Tuesday night’s third period against the Philadelphia Flyers.

That really was Matthew Poitras getting into a scrap with Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae.

The incident occurred when the two got tangled up chasing down a loose puck. Poitras ended up driving Andrae down onto the ice and Andrae retaliated by surprisingly taking a swing — and connecting — at the Bruins forward. Poitras responded by jumping back on Andrae before the two grappled and were separated. They both were assessed a roughing minor on the play.

After Boston’s 2-0 loss at TD Garden, Poitras made it clear he didn’t take kindly to Andrae’s punch, feeling it was out of line.

“I was just trying to battle for the puck and we both grabbed each other,” Poitras told reporters, per WEEI’s Bridgette Proulx. “There was a little kind of skirmish, just trying to play the puck and obviously I didn’t like the sucker punch. That happens.”

The Flyers certainly wanted to test the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Poitras with physical play — something the undersized forward routinely faces in his young career. Poitras got drilled by Flyers forward Joel Farabee while skating up ice earlier in the game.

But Poitras, who is much more known for his skill than fighting ability, stood up to the challenge the Flyers presented, but he doesn’t feel like he always needs to get into skirmishes to prove himself.

“I don’t really think about that,” Poitras said. “I go out and play hockey. If that type of stuff happens, then it happens. It’s part of the game. Always going to try to protect yourself.”