UPDATE: Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand has been suspended five games by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for elbowing New Jersey Devils forward Marcus Johansson in the head on Tuesday night.
Boston’s Brad Marchand suspended five games for elbowing New Jersey’s Marcus Johansson. https://t.co/yGnRiVHgNn
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 24, 2018
On Tuesday night, the red-hot Bruins faced the New Jersey Devils in hopes to extend their point streak. The Bruins faced a tough opponent in the Devils but ultimately won by a score of 3-2. The game-winning goal came from none other than Brad Marchand, who leads the team in goals.
With just over two minutes remaining in the third period, the Bruins rushed down the ice, looking to make the score 4-2. Devils goaltender Cory Schneider stopped Marchand’s shot and corralled the rebound. As Marcus Johansson tried to cut off Marchand’s angle, the Bruins forward seemed to trip over nothing, sending his body forward and his elbow suspiciously towards the head of Johansson, ending his night short due to an injury.
Brad Marchand Awaiting Ruling On Marcus Johansson Elbowing
Whether or not it was Marchand’s intent to elbow Johansson or not, his long-standing reputation may play a factor in the league’s decision on their punishment. Marchand is known around the league as “The Rat”, primarily because of certain actions that are classified as ‘dirty’.
Marchand’s antics almost always occur in the Bruins home building, which usually means that the crowd shows their support and he does not have to worry about them demanding a call from the referee.
Marchand’s History As A Pest
In a game against the Ottawa Senators, Marchand went on a forecheck and upended defenseman Mark Borowiecki behind the play as the game continued on. Borowiecki completely caught off guard, flipped 180 degrees vertically and stretched his arms to keep his head from coming in direct contact with the ice. For this, Marchand would eventually receive a three-game suspension.
Marchand is also known to use the slew foot to take down his opponents. In a game against the Detroit Red Wings, Marchand trailed the play, and in passing defenseman Niklas Kronwall, he stuck out his left leg to trip up his opponent. This trip resulted in only a large fine for Marchand.
The scrappy forward may be most recognized for his tendency to “submarine” opponents. Against the Vancouver Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Marchand used this tactic to deflect an incoming body check against Daniel Sedin. Marchand had just dodged a hit from Christian Ehrhoff, and then skated around him to retrieve the puck. Sedin, the next closest Canuck, skated in below the goal line to lay a hit on the speedy forward, but Marchand ducked low enough to clip his opponent’s legs. The hit sent Sedin up and over the Bruins winger, which sparked a brawl moments later.
What’s Ahead For Marchand
Marchand has a rather bulky file in the Department of Player Safety. While he waits for the ruling, he has to keep his five prior suspensions in mind. His file also contains a list of fines ranging from $2,500-$10,000k.
While the fans love him, it is hard to deny that he is guilty of past antics, which could very well end up as a suspension for the first-line forward. The other factor to take into consideration is the impact it left on Johansson. The forward, who has missed previous games due to a concussion, left the ice with help from the team trainer and his health status has not yet been announced.
