Brad Marchand doesn't want live microphones on benches during NHL games

BOSTON -- The first-round playoff series between the Bruins and Panthers has been spirited. To say the least.

More than 200 combined penalty minutes have been issued in the four games that have been played, and 92 of those PIMs came in a frenzied Game 2 in Boston. During that game, ESPN commentator Ray Ferraro was positioned between the two benches, and his microphone picked up some colorful language flying back and forth at ice level.

While the clip went a bit viral on social media, it's not something that Brad Marchand believes should be broadcast to a live audience.

Marchand, who opened Sunday's Game 4 victory by stuffing home a loose puck on the power play to give Boston a 1-0 lead, was asked after the game if Matthew Tkachuk's banter on the benches crossed any lines. Marchand opted to flip that question on the media. 

"I think the NHL and the media outlets have crossed the line by allowing those mics to continue to play and try to go down and listen to what's said on the benches. There's a reason guys don't want mics on the bench, and that's why," Marchand said. "It's because they're going to take advantage of it at some point, and they did. Regardless of what's said by Tkachuk or by other guys, there should never be an instance where a mic picks up any of that stuff. What's said on the ice and what's said on the benches should be there. That's the way that guys play, especially come playoff time. And the fact that the media outlets allowed that to happen, it's very disrespectful to the agreement that we have in place. And that's how guys are going to want to push to get them off the bench and take the guy in the middle of the bench way out of there. Because it's gonna get guys in trouble, and it's not fair and it's not right."

Players, of course, often wear microphones for broadcasts, and Marchand himself has created some memorable moments while wearing a mic. Yet players' in-game commentary is typically edited and carefully selected before airing for viewers. That obviously was not the case in this instance, and Marchand reiterated his point when asked again if Tkachuk had crossed any lines.

"See that's the thing is without -- there's a lot of things that are said and a lot of things like what he said that are said all game long and throughout the years, but you don't pick it up because of the mics," Marchand said. "So again, I'll go back to there shouldn't be mics in that situation. So no, that's part of the game."