Brad Marchand chirped Blue Jackets’ Riley Nash for his physical play in Game 1
"I don't think he had a hit in two years with us."
The Bruins took a 1-0 lead in their second-round playoff series against the Blue Jackets Thursday with a 3-2 overtime victory.
The Bruins largely dominated puck possession throughout the game, ultimately finishing with a 75-38 advantage over Columbus in shot attempts. The Blue Jackets brought their heavy, physical style of play to TD Garden, registering 40 hits to the Bruins’ 31.
One Columbus forward particularly stood out in the ‘physicality’ category Thursday night: Riley Nash, who spent 2016-2018 with the Bruins and broke out for a career year as the team’s third line center last season.
Nash registered four hits during Game 1, including an open-ice hit on David Krejci late in the third period. According to Hockey Reference, Nash’s Game 1 hits were his second-most this season.
Here’s the hit that left David Krejci injured pic.twitter.com/WCmepxFgRa
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 26, 2019
Krejci was not present on the Bruins’ bench in the overtime period, and Bruce Cassidy said Friday Krejci is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He specified postgame Thursday that the Bruins’ second line center was not diagnosed with a concussion.
When asked Friday about Nash’s physical play in Game 1, Brad Marchand appeared surprised.
“I don’t think he had a hit in two years with us,” he told reporters after practice.
Brad Marchand on a physical Riley Nash in Game 1: “I don’t think he had a hit in two years with us.”
— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) April 26, 2019
While Nash has never been known as a frequent hitter, he was credited with 153 hits as a Bruin over the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
The Bruins will play Game 2 against the Blue Jackets in Boston Saturday at 8 p.m.
