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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Charles Curtis

Sam Bennett had a weak excuse for his sucker punch of Brad Marchand

Everyone’s buzzing about the play from Game 4 of the Florida Panthers’ playoff series against the Boston Bruins in which Sam Bennett pushed Charlie Coyle into Jeremy Swayman and somehow wasn’t called for goalie interference on a goal.

But it’s a play from Game 3 that has NHL fans buzzing about another dirty play from Bennett — it was the hit on Brad Marchand that led to the Bruins star missing Game 4. But a new angle showed that Bennett might have sucker punched him while colliding with Marchand, and Bennett had to address it after Sunday’s game.

And the excuse? I’d say it’s weak. C’mon:

I see a punch in the head there. Yes, it’s “playoff hockey,” but it’s not “a hockey play.” I’m shocked the NHL’s department of player safety hasn’t gotten involved … but given what we’ve seen in this series, maybe they’ll put a magnifying glass on him going forward.

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