Bruins Winger Brad Marchand Suspended Six Games

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand has been suspended six games for roughing and high-sticking Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry in the Bruins’ 4-2 loss to the Penguins Tuesday night.

The NHL Department of Player Safety offered Brad Marchand an in-person hearing via Zoom on Wednesday morning after Marchand was assessed a two-minute minor for roughing and was given a five-minute major and match penalty for an attempt to injure with 25 seconds left in the loss to the Penguins. After falling to the ice in a net-front scrum, Marchand came up and punched Jarry and then circled back and jabbed the Penguins goalie in the face with his stick.

Here’s the official statement from the NHL Department of Player Safety Wednesday evening:

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended for six games, without pay, for roughing and high-sticking Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during NHL Game No. 523 in Boston on Tuesday, Feb. 8, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incidents occurred at 19:35 of the third period. Marchand was assessed a minor penalty for roughing as well as a match penalty.

Marchand is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, will forfeit $448,170.72. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Brad Marchand was not available to the media following the game in which he and his teammates blew a 2-0 lead but Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy was not thrilled with Marchand’s antics and lack of discipline.

“I don’t know, that happened quick,” Cassidy said. “Honestly, lack of discipline, obviously, on Brad’s part in that situation…I just watched the replay at the end, it looks like some words were exchanged. I don’t know if there was an incident in the second period that precipitated it. I wasn’t in the room, I don’t know. Someone said that.

Still, gotta have better discipline at the end of the day. Brad’s a leader on the team and he needs to control his emotions in that situation.”

Following practice on Wednesday, Cassidy was asked if he was surprised that Brad Marchand was given an in-person hearing and could face six or more games for a suspension.

“I don’t know if surprised is the right word. You never know how they’re going to deal with it,” Cassidy told the media. “Obviously I do believe you have to protect goaltenders in those situations. We’d want ours protected. Didn’t look like there was any sort of injury, hopefully, that’s factored in as well.”

Cassidy still doesn’t know what made Brad Marchand snap and go after Jarry, not once, but twice. Either way though, the Bruins head coach told it like it is, you don’t go after the goaltender like that.

“All I saw at the second period was it looked like (Jarry) had a puck on his stick, March knocked it off, a little gamesmanship,” Cassidy said. “I don’t think that’s any reason to get either party upset, to be honest with you.

At the end of the game, I don’t know if words were exchanged, I wasn’t on the ice. But still, you shouldn’t go after a goaltender in that situation unless you’re pushed into the crease or he sticks you first, which I did not see. It could have happened, but I don’t think it did. Same as (Tuesday) night, March just has to have control of his emotions in that situation, live to fight another day get ready for the next game and unfortunately, it got the best of him.”