One of the more memorable moments from Game 6 between Boston and Washington was seeing Bruins forward Brad Marchand get run off a play by Capitals forward Jason Chimera. Chimera made glancing contact with Marchand, but Marchand spun out like a cyclone before tumbling to the ice holding his face. Meanwhile, the Capitals headed down the ice where Chimera scored a goal.
Marchand has carved out a poor reputation for exaggerating calls and it’s only gotten worse during this series... But don’t tell Patrice Bergeron that. CSNNE.com’s Joe Haggerty hears it from Bergeron about how he has no idea where this diving talk is coming from.
“I don’t have anything to say with it to be honest with you,” Patrice Bergeron said. “I didn’t see him dive, but [Brad Marchand] plays the game hard, plays the game with a lot of pride. Last year [Marchand’s play] was a huge reason why we went all the way. I’m very happy to have him on my side.”
It’s better to have a guy like that on your side than to not as he’s got to be all sorts of irritating to play against. As far as the diving stuff, however, Marchand’s earned his reputation for a reason and all throughout this opening round series he’s found inventive ways to hit the ice. It might be part of his game, but if he winds up costing his team another goal thanks to his antics, it might be time for a sit-down discussion.