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Could Bruins defenseman face suspension for late hit in Game 4?
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- Could Bruins defenseman face suspension for late hit in Game 4?
BOSTON — Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was actually more understanding of Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov than a lot of opposing coaches would have been. But the Buffalo coach still raised the possibility of a suspension after his team’s 6-1 win over the Bruins in Game 4 at TD Garden on Sunday.
With 3:17 left and the play stopped, the penalty-prone Boston defenseman crosschecked Rasmus Dahlin near center ice and then took a swing at him.
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The play earned Zadorov a 5-minute major for the crosscheck and a game misconduct. The NHL Department of Player Safety will determine if it was worth supplemental discipline.
Ruff coached Zadorov early in the defenseman’s career and as a player, Ruff was often involved in hockey’s less gentlemanly after-the-whistle activities.
“I understand the emotion of that because of the way the game went,” Ruff said. “You see that in playoff games. That type of raw emotion is because a player is so frustrated. ... It’s not a play you want. I’m pretty sure if that’s regular season, it might have been a suspension. He could easily have broke Ras’ arm with a cross check.”
Zadorov has an NHL leading 37 minutes of penalties through four games. He led the league with 152 PIMs in the regular season.
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