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Bruce Boudreau wants review of Marc Staal hit on Mike Green, won’t get it

New York Rangers v Washington Capitals

<> Washington Capitals New York Rangers at the Verizon Center on February 25, 2011 in Washington, DC.

Rob Carr

When Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau isn’t making fun of Madison Square Garden’s “horrible” locker rooms, he also finds time to critique a hit or two. The bombastic coach isn’t very happy about a hit New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal delivered on Mike Green, a player who was recently sidelined with concussion issues.

Boudreau accused the Rangers of targeting Green’s head frequently in the team’s Game 3 loss, according to Ryan O’Halloran from CSN Washington. Although Boudreau was also upset with Brandon Prust’s actions in the first period, he pointed to a Staal hit in the middle frame. The outspoken coach said that Staal targeted Green with a blindside hit to the head shortly before Alex Ovechkin scored a goal.

He compared the hit to the much-discussed Raffi Torres check on Brent Seabrook, but the Staal hit didn’t even receive a league hearing, review or phone call, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

Perhaps Boudreau hopes that the league keeps a closer eye regarding the Rangers’ supposed targeting of Green, if nothing else. It seems like his commentary fell on deaf ears, but here are some of the highlights, via CSN Washington.

“It was a dirty shot,” Boudreau said after the Capitals’ optional skate on Monday. “I hope the league looks at. I’m listening to all the experts last night on the [Raffi] Torres [of Vancouver] hit on [Chicago’s Brent] Seabrook, and they’re all saying, ‘There’s no puck. It’s not a hockey play. The guy is in a vulnerable position, and he hits the head.’

“Staal comes in, there’s no puck and he takes his arm and swings at his head. It’s all forgotten because we score a goal to tie the game up. It shouldn’t be forgotten, and it wasn’t the only time they targeted Mike’s head. That’s what we want to get out of the game.”