Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand wasn't too furious about the controversial hits that sidelined him in the past two games. Because, in his opinion, the postseason is all about hurting players. “The more guys you beat, the better your team is,” Marchand said Thursday, on the eve of Game 6 against Florida, as the Bruins try to avoid playoff elimination. “People don't say that, but it's just a fact. I mean, every time you step on the ice, somebody's going to hurt somebody.” Marchand, who has been sidelined since being staggered by a blow to the head by forward Sam Bennett, may be back on the field Friday. Bennett was not penalized. The play intentionally hit Marchand. Asked if he thought it was a cheap shot, Marchand said, “I think he got away with one shot, but I mean, that's part of the game, part of playoff hockey. There's no doubt about it. It's the worst.” With his team trailing 3-2, Marchand added: “I'm not going to sit here and complain. “Sometimes part of the playoffs they try to hurt all of the other team's players. Like Boston, Colorado has a chance to avoid elimination against Dallas. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the Avalanche rallied to grab the third period, leading Wednesday and relying on great play from goaltender Alexander Georgiev to make it 5-on-3. He achieved victory. It was their first lead of the series, save for Miles Wood's overtime goal at the end of Game 1. “It was amazing,” McKinnon said. “It was do-or-die, and I couldn't lay any more eggs,” he said succinctly of his first play when the Avalanche were tied within 3-2 in the series. Because the Avalanche are trying to make team history. They have never won a series losing 3-1. Under those circumstances, they are 0-5 and have only sent the series to a decisive Game 7 once. It was against Dallas in the second round of 2020. This was also a unique situation as the game was played inside a Canadian bubble during a pandemic-affected season. “That (Wednesday's game) was our first full 60 game in this series,” McKinnon said. “If we can keep it going, I like our chances.” Colorado's win guaranteed all four second-round series to go at least six games. According to league research, such a balance in the second round has only occurred five other times in NHL history. The last time was in 2017. The Avalanche were stunned Wednesday by the news that Valeri Nichushkin, the team's leading scorer with nine points in the playoffs, has been suspended for six months without pay for entering the third stage of the league's player assistance program. They reunited in Dallas. . The team learned that right before losing 5-1 to the Stars on Monday. As they took time to process and move on, the Avalanche played closer to the version that won a Stanley Cup title in 2022. “You're playing frantic hockey right now,” he said. Makar scored two goals on Wednesday. “Everybody has to play on the edge.'' The Avalanche had the league's best home record during the regular season, but lost two straight on home ice in the Dallas series. In Game 5, Colorado coach Jared Bednar split up his talented team. MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen played with close friends Jonathan Drouin and Artturi Lehkonen, while Rantanen was frequently paired with Zach Parise and Casey Mittelstadt. “At some point, you might have to change that to get a spark.” Coach Bednar said: The Stars missed a crucial opportunity and a chance to get some extra rest. “We're not trying to end the game to get more rest,” said Stars forward Joe Pavelski, who scored his first goal of the 2024 playoffs. Wednesday. “We're trying to get it done so we can move on and it'll get done.”
Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand wasn't too furious about the controversial hits that sidelined him in the past two games. That's because, in his opinion, players are bound to get injured in the postseason.
“The more guys you beat, the better your team is,” Marchand said Thursday, on the eve of Game 6 against Florida, where the Bruins will try to avoid playoff elimination. game. So every time you step on the ice, someone is trying to hurt someone. That's how it goes in the playoffs.”
Marchand, who has been sidelined since being staggered by a blow to the head from Panthers forward Sam Bennett in the first period of Game 3, could return to action on Friday. Bennett, who was not penalized for the play, denies intentionally hitting Marchand.
Asked if he thought it was a cheap shot, Marchand said, “I think he got away with one shot, but I mean, it's part of the game, it's definitely part of playoff hockey.” .
“It sucks being on the other side, but things like that happen,” Marchand added, with his team trailing 3-2. “I'm not going to sit here and complain. … Part of the playoffs is sometimes you try to hurt all the players on the other team.”
Like Boston, Colorado returns home Friday with a chance to avoid elimination against Dallas. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the Avalanche rallied to take the lead in the third period on Wednesday, relying on great play from goaltender Alexander Georgiev to secure a 5-3 victory. It was the Avalanche's first lead in the series other than Miles Wood's overtime win to end Game 1.
“It was great,” McKinnon said simply of the play from up front as the Avalanche pulled within 3-2 in the series. “It was do-or-die, and I couldn’t lay eggs again.”
The Avalanche are trying to make team history. That's because they have never won a series where they lost 3-1. Under those circumstances, they are 0-5 and have only sent the series to a decisive Game 7 once. It was against Dallas in the second round of 2020. This was also a unique situation as the game was played inside a bubble in Canada during a season affected by the pandemic.
“This (Wednesday's game) was our first full 60 game in this series,” McKinnon said. “If we can keep doing that, I think we have a chance.”
Colorado's victory guaranteed all four series in the second round to be played at least six games. According to league research, such a balance in the second round has only occurred five other times in NHL history. The last time was in 2017.
The Avalanche were stunned Wednesday by the news that Valeri Nichushkin, the team's leading playoff scorer with nine goals, has been suspended for six months without pay as she enters the third stage of the league's player assistance program. We regrouped. The team learned this just before losing 5-1 to the Stars on Monday.
By taking time to process and move on, the Avalanche are now closer to the version that won a Stanley Cup title in 2022.
“You're playing frantic hockey right now,” said Makar, who scored two goals Wednesday. “Everyone has to play on the edge.”
The Avalanche had the league's best record at home during the regular season, but lost two straight on home ice in the Dallas series.
In Game 5, Colorado coach Jared Bednar split up the talented tandem of MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. McKinnon played with his close friends Jonathan Drouin and Artturi Lehkonen, while Rantanen was often paired with Zach Parise and Casey Mittelstadt. Both lines passed.
“At some point, you might have to change things up to get a spark,” Bednar said.
The Stars missed a chance to clinch and get extra rest.
“We're not trying to end the game to get more rest,” said Stars forward Joe Pavelski, who scored his first goal of the 2024 playoffs on Wednesday. , but we'll get through it. ”
