NHL teams
Joe McDonald, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Brad Marchand suspended 2 games

NHL, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended two games and will forfeit $43,387.10 in salary for his slew-foot on New York Rangers forward Derick Brassard, the NHL's department of player safety announced Friday.

The league conducted a phone hearing with Marchand on Friday afternoon. Slew-footing is the act of a player using his leg or foot to knock or kick an opponent's feet out from under him.

During the second period of Boston's 3-0 win over the Rangers on Thursday night at TD Garden, both players were racing to the corner for the puck when Marchand slew-footed Brassard, who went crashing into the boards. Brassard was not injured on the play and remained in the game. There was no penalty assessed.

After the league reviewed the play, it was determined that Marchand's actions could have caused injury to a defenseless opponent, and the risk was greater due to the proximity to the boards. The league also took into account Marchand's history.

Marchand did not speak to the media after Friday's practice.

After Thursday's game, Brassard made it known he was not happy with Marchand's actions.

"You go to the corner with him and you go shoulder to shoulder, but he brings his leg in the back and I felt like I had a slew-foot there," Brassard said. "I don't want to find any excuses about it, I don't want to be crybaby or anything, but it could've been dangerous and it could be a game-changer. It could've been a 5-on-3 and probably could be back in the game, but the referees said it was a clean hit.

"The way I fell on the ice, I maybe could've missed the rest of the season if I hurt my knee there . . . Marchand's a pretty good player, he's feisty, competes hard, but those kind of things, we don't want that in our game."

In 2012, Marchand was suspended for five games for a dangerous hit on Sami Salo. In 2011, he was fined $2,600 for slew-footing Matt Niskanen.

Marchand's current suspension comes at a bad time for the Bruins. The team is in the midst of a five-game winning streak and has been playing its best hockey of the season.

Bruins coach Claude Julien finally had a healthy and consistent lineup with everyone contributing, and now the team will have to deal with Marchand's absence. Fortunately for the Bruins, forward Daniel Paille has played well lately in different roles, and he likely will take Marchand's place on the second line with Patrice Bergeron and right wing Reilly Smith.

Bruins management and coaching staff accept Marchand's style of play because he's at his best when he's getting under the opponents' skin. He has tried to navigate that fine line during his career, and a few times he has crossed it.

Julien does not accept dangerous plays in games, but he also knows how Marchand needs to play in order to be successful.

The Bruins have resurrected their physical style of play during their winning streak.

"Our identity is playing hard, and playing a north-south type of game, grinding it out," assistant captain Chris Kelly said. "It's one of our huge strengths, so we've got to try to use it as much as we can."

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