Hey all. Just a follow-up on l’affaire Brad Marchand. The NHL has acted swiftly, suspending the Bruins’ baddie for six games for his actions on Tuesday night.
For those who’ve been vacationing in Morocco or otherwise have been out of touch, Marchand sucker-punched and high-sticked (actually speared is a more apt description) Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry following a net-front scrum with 25 seconds left to play in our 4-2 victory over the Bruins.
Marchand was issued a minor penalty for roughing and as well as a 10-minute match penalty for a deliberate attempt to injure.
This isn’t Marchand’s first brush with the law. Although undeniably gifted, the four-time All-Star often exhibits behavior outside the bounds of good taste and decorum. He’s been suspended seven times previously over the course of his 13-season career and fined five times for various and sundry offenses. The most recent infraction, a slew-footing incident back in November.
In penal parlance, he’s a lifer.
Here’s what the league had to say via video presentation. “We find the totality of this play — an intentional punch to the side of the head on an unsuspecting goaltender coupled with an intentional high stick delivered to the head and neck area while being escorted off the ice — unacceptable and warranting supplemental discipline.”
My reaction? The suspension is longer than I thought it would be but perhaps shorter than merited, especially considering Marchand’s head-high jab with the stick.
Beware the Sens
Very quietly, the Ottawa Senators appear to be turning the corner. Pushovers no more, they’ve gone on nice little 5-2-1 run, including a 4-3 victory over Metro leader Carolina on Tuesday night. Since December 2, they’re 12-7-3.
The Sens are loaded with talented young up-and-comers, including forwards Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton, Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk (all age 23 and under) and d-man Thomas Chabot. In goal, former Pen Matt Murray has rebounded from a rocky start and early season demotion to post a respectable .914 save percentage and 2.72 goals against average, to go with a .571 quality starts percentage (Jarry’s is .639).
The good news? Batherson and Norris are on the shelf and won’t play against our Pens tonight. The bad news? The black and gold lost, 6-3, to the then Covid-decimated Sens at the Canadian Tire Centre back on November 13.
Speaking of Covid, afflicted Pens superstar Evgeni Malkin will watch the game from the press box (actually probably his living room since he isn’t allowed to cross the border). Radim Zohorna will skate in his place.
That just makes the win over the Sens just that much better.
Amen.