You just knew this game couldn't go quietly.
The Blue Jackets survived a late push by the Boston Bruins to win Game 3, 2–1, and take their first lead in this Eastern Conference semifinals series. But, as is often the case, Brad Marchand needed to be heard from in a different way.
Here, we see him punch Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington in the head as Harrington sits to the left of Sergei Bobrovsky just minding his own business.
Here's the ice-level view of the cheap shot:
No one's going to deny that Marchand is a great player. He scored 100 points in 2018-19 and is one of the better offensive players in the NHL, but this stuff puts a damper on it.
Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said he saw the punch, but wouldn't elaborate any further.
"I'm not giving my thoughts," he said post-game. "You (the media) can come up with something there." As of 11 p.m. ET, there had been no word as to whether the NHL's Department of Player Safety was taking a look at Marchand's punch.
