Last spring, Sam Bennett’s controversial sucker punch to Brad Marchand during a playoff game sidelined the Bruins’ captain for two games and played a pivotal role in swinging the second-round series in favor of the Panthers.
However, this Wednesday at the Bell Centre, the two will be suiting up together for Team Canada as they kick off the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden at 8 p.m. Monday marked the first time the two arrived in Montreal as teammates. Neither expected any tension, but both made sure to connect. By Tuesday, they both admitted they got along well.
“We’re both working towards the same goal, trying to accomplish the same thing, and that’s what you focus on here,” Marchand said. “What happens on the ice isn’t personal. We’re just here to do a job. We’ve had a lot of chats, and he’s a really good guy. No issues at all.”
Bennett echoed the sentiment: “This is the first time I’ve really gotten to know him, and he’s super nice, super friendly. We’ve had great talks. When you compete at the level we do, things can get heated on the ice, but it all fades away as soon as you’re on the same team. We’re all striving for the same goal: to win. On the ice, it’s never personal—it’s just about doing whatever it takes to succeed.”
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This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Marchand. He was suspended for five games in 2018 after elbowing Marcus Johansson in the head. A year later, they were teammates on a Bruins squad that came within one game of winning the Stanley Cup. Marchand also had his share of clashes with Tyler Bertuzzi while Bertuzzi was with the Red Wings. However, they got along well as Bruins teammates and resumed their rivalry when Bertuzzi moved to Toronto.
Marchand famously defended Bennett’s actions last year in the playoffs, saying, “He plays hard, he’s extremely physical, and a great player for their team. I think he got away with a shot, but that happens. I’ve been on the other side of those types of plays. It’s part of the game, especially in playoff hockey. It sucks to be on the wrong end of it, but that’s just how it goes.”
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