Getty Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers scored a controversial goal against the Boston Bruins in Game 4.
The freshest public enemy number one for Boston Bruins fans has a name (Sam Bennett), a team (the Florida Panthers), and a purpose (to keep playing “outside-the-lines” hockey).
None of that changed in Game 4 after Bennett had already made the headlines with a sucker punch that injured Bruins captain Brad Marchand forcing him to miss Sunday’s contest.
This time, Bennett found a new way to drive Bruins fans mad by scoring a highly controversial goal in Game 4 that tied the game at 2-2 in the third period before Florida scored a third and game-winning goal later in that frame.
IT STANDS 😱
SAM BENNETT HAS TIED THE GAME IN BOSTON 🚨
Approaching the fourth minute of play in the third period of Game 4, Bennett found a loose puck in front of the Bruins net. He shot it into an open net without much opposition, at least watching the play happen live.
“I’m putting that puck in before Swayman’s going to be able to get over there, whether Charlie Coyle was on him or not. So, I think that’s the reason why it stood,” Bennett said after the game during an interview on TNT.
Did Sam Bennett Push Coyle, Score Illegal Goal Against Bruins?
The controversy emerging from Bennett’s goal is related to his pushing of a Bruins player on the crease. That cross-checking made Coyle collide with netminder Jeremy Swayman and prevented the goalie from attempting a save.
The replay of the play shows Bennett cross-checking Coyle from the back to open enough room in the crease for him to shoot the puck into the net.
Sam Bennett cross check to the back of Coyle.
Refs let the goal stand. Pathetic.
Swayman could not do anything to move toward Bennett on the play after he pushed Coyle into him. He explained why the goal shouldn’t have been allowed after review during his postgame media availability on May 12.
“The fact is that my own player (Coyle) was pushed into me by theirs (Bennett) and I couldn’t play my position,” Swayman said after the game (h/t Bruins Daily) when asked about the controversial goal.
“The fact is Coyle was pushed into me and I couldn’t play my position.” Jeremy Swayman on Sam Bennett’s tying goal.
Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery delivered an honest statement about what the refs explained to him following Bennett’s goal. Reporters asked him about the play and what the officials told him during his postgame presser on Sunday, May 12.
“The play (Bennett’s pushing of Coyle) didn’t interfere with the goal,” Montgomery said during his press conference. “That’s the explanation I got.”
🎥 Coach Montgomery, Charlie Coyle, David Pastrnak, and Jeremy Swayman react following the #NHLBruins Game 4 loss to the Panthers:
According to the NHL rulebook, and Rule 69.1 in particular (via The Associated Press), “If a defending player has been pushed, shoved, or fouled by an attacking player so as to cause the defending player to come into contact with his own goalkeeper, such contact shall be deemed contact initiated by the attacking player for purposes of this rule, and if necessary a penalty assessed to the attacking player and if a goal is scored it would be disallowed.”
The officials, whoever, allowed Bennett’s goal and helped Florida mount their come-from-behind victory. Boston had opened Game 4 with a 2-0 lead scoring both goals in the first period.
Bruins GM to Speak on Monday Following Controversy
While coach Montgomery didn’t want to discuss Bennett’s game-tying goal in detail, more comments are expected on Monday, May 13.
Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney will address the media one day after the Game 4 loss, the franchise announced on Sunday night, via Ty Anderson.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is speaking tomorrow.
Bruins vs. Panthers: A War With Sam Bennett as the Main Protagonist
This latest development will only add to an endless amount of drama and subplots generated through the first four games of the second-round series.
During Game 3, Bennett delivered a sucker punch on Bruins captain Brad Marchand, injuring him and ultimately forcing him to miss Game 4. Bennett, however, denied on Sunday that he had tried to punch and hurt Marchand.
“Obviously I’m not trying to punch him in the head like everyone’s saying,” Bennett said on Sunday, May 12. “Other people can have different opinions. I braced myself for him coming to hit me.”
The Big Rig wanted all the smoke 💨
After saying some retaliation “could happen” ahead of Game 4, the Bruins stepped up to the occasion. Boston’s players didn’t have a problem bringing some extra physicality to the table on Sunday.
The Big Rig was beaking at Bobrovsky all warmups
Pat Maroon, acquired precisely for his enforcer chops ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, exchanged a few words with Bennett throughout the game. He also told something to Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the pregame warmups.
“This is for Marchy!”
David Pastrnak punched Anton Lundell in the face. That action led the Bruins offender to hit the penalty box for two minutes with a minor penalty.
WILD replay of the McAvoy hit on Reinhart 😳
Charlie McAvoy got things going by dropping a heavy hit on Panthers’ Sam Reinhart just a few seconds into the game.