Just In: Brad Marchand Out Due To Brutal…

The Boston Bruins lost Game 3 6-2 to the Florida Panthers on Friday, May 10, but they may have lost something more important in the future.

Brad Marchand, the Bruins’ captain, was absent from the Saturday, May 11 practice. Head coach Jim Montgomery revealed that his forward is “day-to-day” with a “upper-body injury,” according to Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Montgomery also went into detail regarding what occurred to Marchand in Game 3. The captain was forced to leave the game early after colliding with Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers in the first period.

“In actual time, my eyes were not on it. “Having seen it, there is a history with Bennett,” Montgomery said on Saturday, according to Ty Anderson. “There’s clearly evidence of what went on.”

Following Saturday’s practice and Jim Montgomery’s comments, David Pagnotta reported on May 11 that the NHL would not punish or sanction Bennett for the hit.

Did Sam Bennett Deliver a Punch on Brad Marchand’s Head?

Initially, few people were aware of what had occurred on the ice between Marchand and Bennett. Both collided in a hard hit that caused the Bruins captain to collapse to the ice.

Marchand’s injury was briefly mentioned in a piece released on the morning of May 11 about Jim Montgomery’s postgame comments and accepting responsibility for the loss.

Man, shame we didn’t pick up a sucker punch. Let’s hope Marchand isn’t dealing with a concussion. Would be a shame to have missed something like this in a highly scrutinized game @NHLPlayerSafety @RearAdBsBlog @MikeGrinnell_ pic.twitter.com/mbbhWtoNtF

— TD, Esq. (@to_do_82) May 11, 2024

Further study of the hit footage has revealed the most likely reality about what transpired on the ice between Marchand and Bennett. Montgomery has commented on Bennett’s “history” and “evidence of what went on.”

X user @to_do_82 shared a slow-motion clip of the hit delivered by Bennett approaching midnight ET on May 10.

Paying close attention, Bennett’s right arm and hand clearly make contact and impact Marchand’s head on its right side. Marchand’s head consequently turns violently to its left, in which could have caused the captain of the Bruins a concussion.

The Bruins have announced Brad Marchand is unlikely to return to the game with an upper body injury.

Marchand played the rest of the first and second after taking this hit from Bennett pic.twitter.com/kwx3LfOGP8

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 11, 2024

According to coach Montgomery, most viewers mistook the play for a straightforward, normal, body-on-body contact with Bennett’s shoulder and back because of the speed at which it occurred in real time.

The reverse angle shown during TNT’s broadcast of Game 3 seems to confirm the punch theory. It can be seen how the shoulder and back of Bennett barely impact Marchand. The gloved right hand, however, makes contact with his head.

Brad Marchand Out Day-To-Day, Could Miss More Games

Marchand returned to the game after receiving treatment on the bench. He played in the first and second periods of the Game 3 loss to the Panthers.

However, the Bruins ruled the captain out for the entire third period. He did not return during the last stanza. Marchand finished Game 3 with 10:51 TOI across 15 shifts. He completed four hits but scored no points for the day.

Montgomery did not rule out Marchand’s comeback for Game 4 at his post-practice press conference on May 11. However, he reported his “day-to-day” situation. Marchand, for what it’s worth, did not participate in Saturday’s skate, according to Ty Anderson.

If Marchand has suffered a concussion, he could miss around “a week or two,” according to a study from Pure Hockey.