PK Subban’s tough take on Sam Bennett’s hit against Brad Marchand

The Bruins’ season remains alive after a 2-1 win over the Panthers in Game 5 of the second-round series on Tuesday, although Brad Marchand’s status remains questionable after taking a punch from Florida center Sam Bennett . in Game 3 and has been out since with an upper body injury.

The nature of Bennett’s hit on Marchand – that it appeared to be an intentional punch – has become one of the series’ many controversial flashpoints (and is not the only one involving Bennett). Given Marchand’s role in Boston as captain and one of the team’s main offensive weapons, his absence is a huge loss for the Bruins.

On the other hand, the lack of punishment for Bennett (who was neither fined nor suspended) was a glaring omission in Boston’s eyes. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said afterward that Bennett “knew what he was doing” and that his actions were “out of bounds.”

Yet former NHL defenseman PK Subban, speaking Tuesday on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” struck a very different tone.

“Brad Marchand, I’ve seen him go after hundreds, if not thousands of guys,” Subban said of the Bruins leader. “It was a moment where he was the fire hydrant, not the dog.

“It’s probably a long shot for him, but it’s a shame he got knocked out of the show,” Subban added. But that’s only part of the game. It’s playoff hockey. These things are going to happen.

Still, Bruins fans could argue that despite Marchand’s history, he was still punished for his actions. The Bruins veteran was suspended for a total of 29 games during his NHL career, racking up several other league fines in the process.

Subban, 35, last played in the NHL with the Devils in 2022 before announcing his retirement. Since then, he has worked as a hockey analyst for ESPN.