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Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand addressed A.J. Greer’s hit on David Pastrnak following Monday afternoon’s 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. During the media availability, Marchand gave his candid opinion on the controversial hit the Panthers’ Greer laid on Bruins’ star David Pastrnak.

Marchand bluntly said:

“It happens both ways… it’s a part of the game.”

The comments underscore the fight-filled first period in which the two teams dropped the gloves on two separate occasions. In particular, the hit on Pastrnak came early in the first period when Greer appeared to have caught Pastrnak from behind.

Marchand had this to say about Greer’s actions:

“It was one play. It appears they got him from behind. You usually target the other team’s best players. So, every time he has the puck, they’re going to go after him.”

The response echoes the physical nature of hockey in which teams consistently target opponents’ top players. However, Marchand understands it’s a part of the game:

“It’s a part of the game. The puck was right there.”

The Bruins’ captain eventually got into the fray in defense of Pastrnak after Pastrnak laid a strong hit on the Panthers’ Sam Reinhart. Marchand dropped the gloves with Nate Schmidt, leading to the second altercation of the first period.

It was a frustrating loss for Marchand and the Bruins, as the team dropped both meetings against the Panthers this season. The teams will meet again on Nov. 1 in Florida, with fireworks expected to go off.

A.J. Greer was not penalized for hit on Pastrnak

The controversy continues as A.J. Greer was not penalized for the hit on Pastrnak. The replay showed Greer went after Pastrnak from behind. However, the call on the ice was no penalty despite the clear nature of the questionable hit.

Despite fans and analysts calling the play a cheap shot, the officials on the ice let the play go unpenalized.

Instead, Greer got a fighting major for his altercation with Pavel Zacha. Zacha came to Pastrnak’s aid following the hit. While Zacha is not known to be a fighter, he dropped the gloves against a renowned pugilist in Greer.

Pastrnak was fortunate to skate away from the play unscathed. The hit along the boards could have led to a serious injury. Fortunately, Pastrnak was nothing more than shaken up on the play.

As for Zacha, his grit in defense of a teammate speaks volumes of his character. He engaged Greer immediately, without hesitation. If anything, Zacha’s reaction earned him respect from his teammates and Bruins’ fans.