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Sam Bennett breaks his silence on Brad Marchand hit and addresses being "Public enemy No. 1" in Boston
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett spoke about his controversial hit on Brad Marchand during Game 3 of their second-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. Marchand sustained an upper-body injury, which caused him to miss Game 4 on Sunday.
Bennett has become the center of attention and is seen as the pantomime villain among the Bruins fans due to his actions. The collision between Bennett and Marchand has become a major talking point in the series.
During TNT's pregame show before Game 4, a new angle of the incident was shown. It showed Bennett appearing to land a right hand on Marchand.
Following the Panthers' win in Game 4 on Sunday, Bennett joined the NHL on TNT post-game segment to discuss his hit on Marchand. When Paul Bissonnette (Biz) asked Sam Bennett how it feels to be the public's number one enemy in Boston, the Panthers center responded:
"Yeah, I mean, I got a little taste of it last year in Toronto, and, you know, I guess I'm getting kind of used to it. I mean, on that play, obviously, I'm not trying to, you know, punch him in the head. Like everyone's saying, other people can have different opinions."
Bennett acknowledged the attention and the varying opinions surrounding the incident. He clarified that his intention was not to strike Marchand in the head.
"You know, I've just brace myself for him to come and hit me. You know, there's no way I would have had time to think about punching him in the head...but, you know, people can see it however they want. It's playoff hockey; there's going to be hard plays, " he added.
Marchand remained on the bench after the hit and didn't return to the game. The Bruins captain is dealing with an upper-body injury, and his status remains week-to-week for now.
Bennett was not punished by the NHL for the play.
Sam Bennett reflects on the goal call that stood after Bruins review
On Sunday, the Florida Panthers beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 in Game 4 at TD Garden to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their second-round Eastern Conference series.
In the third period, Bennett tied it at 2-2 after knocking the puck off a rebound at the left post with just one second remaining on the power play. The Bruins challenged the play for goalie interference, but after a review, the call was upheld.
"I mean, on that one, it was a little shove, and I'm putting the puck in the net before Swayman is going to have an opportunity, whether Coyle is in his grill or not," Sam Bennett said on the goalie interference call. "I believe I'm putting that puck in before he's getting across, no matter what. So I think that's why it stood, and I think it was the right call."
The series between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins returns to Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, for Game 5 on Tuesday.
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