Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron was not happy about Jets’ Alexander Burmistrov’s illegal head shot

Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and Adam Lowry of the Winnipeg Jets are separated during a fight at TD Garden on October 8, 2015. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

By Chris Greenberg

October 9, 2015

1 minute to read

Bruins center Patrice Bergeron doesn’t need a reminder of the risks of head injuries facing NHL players. But he still got one in the team’s opening game of the 2015-2016 season.

Bergeron was the recipient of an illegal elbow to the head from Winnipeg Jets center Alexander Burmistrov late in the first period on Thursday night at TD Garden.

“It was a hit to the head. Even though he apologized after, it’s one of those that I didn’t have the puck at that time,’’ Bergeron said after the game, via WEEI.com. “You have to realize where the guy is and his position.’’

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Bergeron’s displeasure with the hit was evident immediately. After collecting himself, he skated after Burmistrov and cross-checked him. When officials halted the ensuing scuffle, Burmistrov was penalized for an illegal check to the head and Bergeron was called for cross-checking.

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Followng his team’s 6-2 defeat, Bruins head coach Claude Julien told reporters he believes that Burmistrov should face additional punishment from the NHL.

“It will be interesting to see how that is reviewed,’’ said Julien, via CSNNE.com. “Especially when it’s to an elite player in the league that’s had some [concussion] issues in the past. I hope [the Department of Player Safety] looks at it seriously, and in my mind I don’t know why there wouldn’t be further consequences to that.’’