One game after Sam Bennett punched Brad Marchand out of the playoffs, the Florida Panthers forward sent the rest of the Boston Bruins to the brink of elimination with an equally controversial shove to Charlie Coyle’s back.
Already drawing boos in TD Garden because of a hit on Marchand that the Bruins are calling a sucker punch, Bennett on Sunday scored the game-tying goal in Game 4 after sending Coyle tumbling into Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman.
The goal was upheld by the NHL replay center in Toronto, and Aleksander Barkov scored the game-winner four minutes later to lead Florida to a 3-2 victory and a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Photo: AP
“I’m putting that puck in before Swayman’s going to be able to get over there, whether Coyle was on him or not. So, I think that’s the reason why it stood,” Bennett said. “And that’s how I saw it, as well.”
Playing without Marchand, their captain and leading scorer in the post-season, Boston jumped to a 2-0 lead with goals from David Pastrnak and Brandon Carlo. Swayman made 38 saves, but he was covered up by Coyle when Bennett tied the game 3 minutes, 41 seconds into the third period.
“The fact is that my own player was pushed into me by theirs and I couldn’t play my position,” Swayman said.
Bennett on Sunday night denied that he had tried to hit Marchand, saying he was bracing himself for the collision when he made contact with the Boston forward’s head.
Marchand was scratched from Game 4 and was reportedly in the concussion protocol.
“People can have their opinions. I know it definitely wasn’t intentional,” Bennett said. “It’s unfortunate that he got hurt. Obviously, he’s a heck of a player and a big part of that team. So, it’s unfortunate, but by no means was that an intentional punch in the face.”
In Alberta, Vancouver rookie goalie Arturs Silovs stopped 42 shots, Brock Boeser had two goals and an assist, and Elias Lindholm scored twice as the Canucks held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 to take a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference playoff series.
“The kid has given us game,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said of the goalie. “It’s a big stage and he’s not blinking. He’s coming in every day and he’s working hard.”
Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller each had two assists for the Canucks.
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday poured in 35 points as the Thunder grabbed a bounce-back 118-108 victory in Portland to push their NBA-best record to 37-8. The Thunder, surprised by the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, fended off a late surge from the Trail Blazers to snap their four-game winning streak. Jalen Williams scored 24 points and Isaiah Joe added 16 off the bench. Center Isaiah Hartenstein, back after a five-game absence with a calf injury, added 14 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a big block. The Western Conference leaders were under pressure late as Portland, trailing by 15 heading
Sumo is walking a “tightrope” as it prepares to stage events outside Japan for the first time in 20 years while also trying to preserve its ancient traditions, experts say. The sport is to hold exhibition tournaments in London in October and in Paris in June next year, the first time the Japan Sumo Association has been abroad since Las Vegas in 2005. Sports such as soccer, baseball and football play domestic games overseas in a bid to gain new fans in emerging markets. John Gunning, a former amateur sumo wrestler who commentates on the sport in English on Japanese television, says its
Cole Perfetti on Friday scored three goals for his first NHL hat-trick as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Utah Hockey Club 5-2. Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists to reach 500 points for his career, while David Gustafsson also scored for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck had 17 saves. Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz scored for Utah, while Connor Ingram stopped 25 shots. Perfetti gave Winnipeg a 3-2 lead when he lifted the puck over a fallen Ingram on a pass from Vladislav Namestnikov 5 minutes, 51 seconds into the third period. Ehlers stole the puck at his own blue line and raced down
RSS