Brad Marchand isn’t expected to be punished by the NHL for punching Scott Harrington
Marchand punched Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington in the back of the head after a whistle in Game 3.
Update, 12 p.m.: According to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, the NHL has reviewed Marchand’s incident with Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington. Portzline reports that the expectation is the league will not issue any supplemental discipline for Marchand.
#NHL has reviewed #NHLBruins Brad Marchand incident at final buzzer on Tuesday. Expectation is that no supplemental discipline is coming from the league. #CBJ
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 1, 2019
There was one minute left in the Bruins’ Game 3 loss to the Blue Jackets. Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had just temporarily staved off the Bruins’ attack, freezing the puck for a faceoff.
While the on-ice officials separated players from both teams still locked up after the whistle, Brad Marchand glided behind Columbus defenseman Scott Harrington, who was kneeling on the ice. Marchand punched Harrington in the back of the head and skated away.
Brad Marchand with a sneaky punch to the back of the head. So out of character. pic.twitter.com/M8vw9nxzwI
— Paul Campbell (@WayToGoPaul) May 1, 2019
Analysts and fans alike were not thrilled with Marchand, who has been suspended by the NHL six times and fined three more times.
Brad Marchand has a problem, and he needs to be reprimanded yet again. If the NHL’s Department of Player Safety doesn’t suspend him, then it has become an enabler for his behavior. https://t.co/rXImxvjlef
— Kevin Allen (@ByKevinAllen) May 1, 2019
Marchand’s most recent suspension was for elbowing his current Bruins teammate Marcus Johansson in the head in Jan. 2018, while Johansson played for the New Jersey Devils. That act earned him five games off.
Marchand made headlines earlier this season for his attempts to keep his elbows down, his hits clean, and his hands to himself when unwarranted. Since he was playing at a career-best level (Marchand was the first Bruin to score 100 points in over 10 seasons) it seemed the often-controversial, pesky forward had truly changed his game for the better.
Marchand told the Boston Globe‘s Kevin Paul Dupont about his efforts to avoid controversy on the ice in March, saying “It’s a day-to-day thing that you’ve got to be composed.”
“Honestly, there’s definitely been a few plays where I definitely let up or swung away from guys,” Marchand told the Globe. “It’s the first thing that kind of comes to your head, ‘This could be a bad situation.’ So you kind of peel off.
“I don’t feel I am in as much, you know, as many battles or anything like that this year. I’m not chirping at all. I’m trying to avoid any situation that may lead to anything.”
Though the NHL had not announced any disciplinary action for Marchand as of Wednesday morning, his punch thrown at Columbus’ Harrington appears to have brought the controversy back.
“I didn’t like it but it certainly doesn’t rise to a suspension for me.” – @Burkie2020 on Brad Marchand’s cheap shot on Scott Harrington. pic.twitter.com/FHXIdPchGb
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 1, 2019
Marchand did receive a two-minute minor penalty during the second period Tuesday for a high stick on the Blue Jackets’ Boone Jenner. Though he did not produce any goals in Game 3, Marchand leads the Bruins (nine points in 10 games) in scoring during the 2019 NHL playoffs.
