Boston Bruins' coach Claude Julien unhappy over Evgeni Malkin hit on Johnny Boychuk -NHL Update
Pittsburgh Penguins are a dominating team at the moment but for Boston Bruins head coach, Claude Julien, that does not mean their players are immune from strict action if they are found using brutal force during the games.
According to latest reports, the Boston head coach is seriously unhappy over the National Hockey League’s (NHL) decision not to take any action on Pittsburgh’s leading forward, Evgeni Malkin, for his hit on Johnny Boychuk during their Sunday matchup.
Not even mentioning the incident was another thing that just added to the fire burning inside of Julien due to the lack of any action on the side of the NHL despite their attempts at minimising injuries this 2011-2012 regular season.
"It was Malkin that hit him, right? Not Cooke?" said Julien, in a sarcastic way pointing out Matt Cooke who had been suspended before for the same type of hits.
It was definitely a scary situation for Boston Bruins when Malkin hit Boychuk from the back during the matchup. Reviewing the incident, it is visible that the puck is in control of the Boston player but Evgeni Malkin charges towards him with full force and
attacks from a blind corner.
If viewed from a disciplinary view, than Malkin was hardly at wrong. The head was not targeted at all and it was a shoulder check to the body, which is considered to be a normal hit into the side boards.
"It's a little bit dangerous, of course, because it's near the far boards," Malkin said. "I said sorry, of course, but it's tough to say. I've not seen (the) replay. I (did) not jump. Nothing dangerous. I (hit) with shoulder, not (the) elbow — just shoulder.
But he turned a little bit quick, and it (became) a dangerous hit."
Luckily, Boychuk was not injured after the hit and rather just a little sore according to him but nothing serious.
The hit could have definitely been a lot more serious looking at the way it played out as Boychuk failed to get up right away. Evgeni did get the penalty, which according to the NHL, is more than enough required.
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